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Dissonance: A Bodyguard Romance
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 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 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?
Audible Audio
Published September 30, 2026
About the author
Vari Scott
13 books179 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 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 3, 2026
Story: 5⭐️
Narration: 5⭐️
Spice: 4🌶️— High spice
🍆MF — Romance
📚Standalone (Book 3 in the Fractured Frequencies series)
✏️First person — Dual POV
🎙️Dual narration
❤️Main tropes: Bodyguard • He fell first • Accidental pregnancy • Right Person, Wrong Time • Found Family
Why—of all the people on this planet—does the biggest client of my career have to come with Lachlan James attached?
And why does my discipline always falter where he’s concerned?
— Thea (Prologue)
My heart is so FULL! ❤️❤️❤️
Vari Scott is really becoming one of my favourite authors. She writes relatable, deep but sweet stories that hit you right in the feels and turn you into a mushy, teary mess.
I had the privilege of doing an immersive read of this third book in the Fractured Frequencies series. I had read the first two books, so it was easy for me to step back into this world and just let myself be swept in.
I loved that we got to see previous characters, especially Rain and Declan, but also that this story had a totally different feel from the first two books. I fell in love HARD with Thea and Lachlan (Lockie). Thea is a strong but vulnerable character, and you wanna both punch some sense into her and wrap her in a tight hug at the same time. And Lockie, he’s a fierce and protective teddy bear with a heart of gold.
I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t go too deep into the story, but I have to mention how much I loved the way Vari Scott handled pregnancy in this book. I loved how Lockie embraced it, and how he and Thea worked together to figure out what this unexpected event meant for them as a couple and as individuals. It was touching and inspiring at the same time.
And the narration. I cannot NOT talk about the narration. Stella Hunter was “stellar” as Thea. She was the perfect narrator for this strong and conflicted woman. She made Thea shine like no one else could have. And Shane East. O-M-I’m melting-G! I literally forgot how to breathe somewhere in Chapter 13. The intensity he brought to Lockie gave me butterflies and shivers way too many times.
If you want a sweet, tearjerking, swoon-worthy bodyguard romance, I totally recommend this book, especially the audiobook. But if you really want all the feels, I would strongly recommend reading the series from the beginning with Cadence.
Narration: 5⭐️
Spice: 4🌶️— High spice
🍆MF — Romance
📚Standalone (Book 3 in the Fractured Frequencies series)
✏️First person — Dual POV
🎙️Dual narration
❤️Main tropes: Bodyguard • He fell first • Accidental pregnancy • Right Person, Wrong Time • Found Family
Why—of all the people on this planet—does the biggest client of my career have to come with Lachlan James attached?
And why does my discipline always falter where he’s concerned?
— Thea (Prologue)
My heart is so FULL! ❤️❤️❤️
Vari Scott is really becoming one of my favourite authors. She writes relatable, deep but sweet stories that hit you right in the feels and turn you into a mushy, teary mess.
I had the privilege of doing an immersive read of this third book in the Fractured Frequencies series. I had read the first two books, so it was easy for me to step back into this world and just let myself be swept in.
I loved that we got to see previous characters, especially Rain and Declan, but also that this story had a totally different feel from the first two books. I fell in love HARD with Thea and Lachlan (Lockie). Thea is a strong but vulnerable character, and you wanna both punch some sense into her and wrap her in a tight hug at the same time. And Lockie, he’s a fierce and protective teddy bear with a heart of gold.
I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t go too deep into the story, but I have to mention how much I loved the way Vari Scott handled pregnancy in this book. I loved how Lockie embraced it, and how he and Thea worked together to figure out what this unexpected event meant for them as a couple and as individuals. It was touching and inspiring at the same time.
And the narration. I cannot NOT talk about the narration. Stella Hunter was “stellar” as Thea. She was the perfect narrator for this strong and conflicted woman. She made Thea shine like no one else could have. And Shane East. O-M-I’m melting-G! I literally forgot how to breathe somewhere in Chapter 13. The intensity he brought to Lockie gave me butterflies and shivers way too many times.
If you want a sweet, tearjerking, swoon-worthy bodyguard romance, I totally recommend this book, especially the audiobook. But if you really want all the feels, I would strongly recommend reading the series from the beginning with Cadence.
October 24, 2026
To be completely transparent, before I officially started reading, I already knew this book was going to be a favorite. After reading the other books in the series, I've quickly fallen in love with how Vari's writing style & these characters. Plus, I'm such a sucker for a Scot, so to say I was looking forward to Lockie's story would be a dramatic understatement. And since I kinda fell in love with Thea throughout this series, I was practically giddy to get this story & learn about their history (12 years of hotel room hook-ups ain't nothing, haha). Yet, Vari still exceeded my expectations! Ugh, Lachlan James, the man you are. *swoon* This man is nothing but green flags, well before the positive pregnancy test. I loved the scene with him in the kitchen wearing her robe... her short robe—think Schmidt from New Girl wearing his kimono, talking about how "it's on & popping..." but make him brooding & Scottish & cooking her breakfast... hot. 🥵 Lockie's always taking care of her: making sure she can eat without triggering her morning sickness, delivering decaf coffee from a secret company (that made me chuckle), & giving her all of the forehead kisses & protective lower back touches that I've completely melted into a swoon puddle. And I love Thea so freaking much! She's a strong, brilliant business woman (even if she struggles to embrace the Wi-Fi dead zone) & sometimes she growls at women eying her Scottish baby daddy. 😂 I also appreciated how both characters approached this pregnancy with the initial shock & then gentle awe as they kept passing milestone after milestone. They supported the other every step of the journey & both grew to love their little family in such a beautiful way. Vari handled this one brilliantly (which isn't a shock because she's a fantastic writer & storyteller) & I loved this gentle love story.
Shane & Stella doing a Scottish accent is something everyone needs in their life. Holy sweet wee jay-sus! 😮💨 I'm already familiar with Shane's work & I'm definitely a fan of his, so he didn't disappoint. But this was one of my favorite performances from him & I loved how he played this character. And while I've only heard one other project from Stella, holy crap, she's unbelievably talented & this performance just solidified that fact for me. She played these characters so well & brought the emotion & romance to the forefront of both voices, so it was easy to fall in love with them. Because this is a dual-style narration audiobook, we get the opportunity to hear both talented narrators do the accent & it really was such a treat. Plus, both of them have fantastic opposite gender voices. If audio is your thing, you've simply got to pick up the audiobook. It truly elevates Vari's story in the best way & makes these characters come to life.
This is the 3rd book in the series & it might be my favorite (just don't tell the others!). It's very much interconnected with the other 2 books since the FMC manages the talent & the MMC was the bodyguard of book 2's MMC. We get updates from both books' couples & get to spend time with them, which was really nice. But if this is your intro to the series, don't worry, this story is wholly their own, even with the check-in scenes with the other couples. (However, I totally recommend reading the other books because Vari is incredible & these books are fantastic.)
Shane & Stella doing a Scottish accent is something everyone needs in their life. Holy sweet wee jay-sus! 😮💨 I'm already familiar with Shane's work & I'm definitely a fan of his, so he didn't disappoint. But this was one of my favorite performances from him & I loved how he played this character. And while I've only heard one other project from Stella, holy crap, she's unbelievably talented & this performance just solidified that fact for me. She played these characters so well & brought the emotion & romance to the forefront of both voices, so it was easy to fall in love with them. Because this is a dual-style narration audiobook, we get the opportunity to hear both talented narrators do the accent & it really was such a treat. Plus, both of them have fantastic opposite gender voices. If audio is your thing, you've simply got to pick up the audiobook. It truly elevates Vari's story in the best way & makes these characters come to life.
This is the 3rd book in the series & it might be my favorite (just don't tell the others!). It's very much interconnected with the other 2 books since the FMC manages the talent & the MMC was the bodyguard of book 2's MMC. We get updates from both books' couples & get to spend time with them, which was really nice. But if this is your intro to the series, don't worry, this story is wholly their own, even with the check-in scenes with the other couples. (However, I totally recommend reading the other books because Vari is incredible & these books are fantastic.)
October 23, 2026
✨️ARC REVIEW✨️
5🌟
3.5🌶
Overall Thoughts & Emotional Reactions:
First, I have to hand it to the narrators. I have always been a huge Shane East fan, and he most certainly did not disappoint in his portrait of Lockie. This man’s Scottish accent needs to come with a warning “do not listen while driving,” because let me tell you that growl had me paying attention to little else!
This was my first book with Stella Hunter, and let me tell you the speed at which I ran to find her catalogue should probably be concerning. Absolutely phenomenal job as Thea. She brought our fierce, sassy FMC to life and had me on the edge of my seat!
Obviously, I cannot rave about Lockie and Thea without shouting the many praises Vari Scott deserves. This book! THIS. BOOK! The dual timeline and the 12 years of yearning, ugh! Scott brought out every single emotion from the deep passion these two had for each other, the sheer stubbornness they shared, and the heartbreaking confession. Utter perfection!
Lokie and Thea were nothing short of fierce. Lockie was such a solid rock for her, even as Thea pushed him away. The moment he found out about the baby, he showed up. He refused to let her do any of it alone. As if that wasn’t enough to make you swoon, the man found the best coffee she’d ever had and refused to tell her where he got it, just so he could be the reason she smiled! Ugh, STAHP!! On the flip side, Thea was the second chance that Lockie needed to realize he deserves love, and that his past is not his fault. That man deserves all the love. I just want to hug him. Bravo, Mrs. Scott, Bravo!
Tropes:
Bodyguard Romance
Scottish MMC
Strong FMC
Accidental Pregnancy
Right Person, Wrong Time
He Falls First
Found Family
Favorite Quotes:
“For the record, whatever happens tonight gentlemanly won’t be the word for it.”
“When it comes to her, there’s no line I won’t hesitate to cross.”
“One kiss should not have the power to do this to a man.”
Thank you to Vari Scott and Luna Literary Management for the opportunity to read this intriguing story. I received an advanced copy of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily. The above opinions are my own.
5🌟
3.5🌶
Overall Thoughts & Emotional Reactions:
First, I have to hand it to the narrators. I have always been a huge Shane East fan, and he most certainly did not disappoint in his portrait of Lockie. This man’s Scottish accent needs to come with a warning “do not listen while driving,” because let me tell you that growl had me paying attention to little else!
This was my first book with Stella Hunter, and let me tell you the speed at which I ran to find her catalogue should probably be concerning. Absolutely phenomenal job as Thea. She brought our fierce, sassy FMC to life and had me on the edge of my seat!
Obviously, I cannot rave about Lockie and Thea without shouting the many praises Vari Scott deserves. This book! THIS. BOOK! The dual timeline and the 12 years of yearning, ugh! Scott brought out every single emotion from the deep passion these two had for each other, the sheer stubbornness they shared, and the heartbreaking confession. Utter perfection!
Lokie and Thea were nothing short of fierce. Lockie was such a solid rock for her, even as Thea pushed him away. The moment he found out about the baby, he showed up. He refused to let her do any of it alone. As if that wasn’t enough to make you swoon, the man found the best coffee she’d ever had and refused to tell her where he got it, just so he could be the reason she smiled! Ugh, STAHP!! On the flip side, Thea was the second chance that Lockie needed to realize he deserves love, and that his past is not his fault. That man deserves all the love. I just want to hug him. Bravo, Mrs. Scott, Bravo!
Tropes:
Bodyguard Romance
Scottish MMC
Strong FMC
Accidental Pregnancy
Right Person, Wrong Time
He Falls First
Found Family
Favorite Quotes:
“For the record, whatever happens tonight gentlemanly won’t be the word for it.”
“When it comes to her, there’s no line I won’t hesitate to cross.”
“One kiss should not have the power to do this to a man.”
Thank you to Vari Scott and Luna Literary Management for the opportunity to read this intriguing story. I received an advanced copy of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily. The above opinions are my own.
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?
October 8, 2026
I like to thank Vari Scott and Luna Literary for this ALC.
The way this book started was surprising.
So we start with a flashback of Thea and Locke long before Reign Cooper enters the picture.
After the prologue i was again curious to find out how this love story would unfold and how it would connect to the previous books Cadence and Ressonance. Will the timelines mingle ?.
I think you do not necessarily need to listen to Cadence and Ressonance in advance. But i surely recommend those.
Thea is such a strong Woman and I enjoyed to see a other side from her.
The way the harsh music industry was decribed once again with the struggles that Thea has to deal with her newest client being the strong manager. Loved to see that.
Locke the former navy Seal with his secrets and his weakspot for Thea was so sweet to witness.
And again the ending Epilogue - a HEA and such a sweet one. Found Family at its best.
But lets talk narration: Shane East with scottish accent - I did not know I needed that in my life.
Yeah I already love Shane East Voice before but this was something new for me.
Stella Hunter is a new to me narrator and I won’t have listened to her for the last time. She performed Thea perfectly with all her controlled and soft parts.
The way this book started was surprising.
So we start with a flashback of Thea and Locke long before Reign Cooper enters the picture.
After the prologue i was again curious to find out how this love story would unfold and how it would connect to the previous books Cadence and Ressonance. Will the timelines mingle ?.
I think you do not necessarily need to listen to Cadence and Ressonance in advance. But i surely recommend those.
Thea is such a strong Woman and I enjoyed to see a other side from her.
The way the harsh music industry was decribed once again with the struggles that Thea has to deal with her newest client being the strong manager. Loved to see that.
Locke the former navy Seal with his secrets and his weakspot for Thea was so sweet to witness.
And again the ending Epilogue - a HEA and such a sweet one. Found Family at its best.
But lets talk narration: Shane East with scottish accent - I did not know I needed that in my life.
Yeah I already love Shane East Voice before but this was something new for me.
Stella Hunter is a new to me narrator and I won’t have listened to her for the last time. She performed Thea perfectly with all her controlled and soft parts.
October 24, 2026
Format: Audiobook - Dual narration by Shane East and Stella Hunter
Series / Standalone: Interconnected Standalone (A Fractured Frequencies Novel)
Tropes: Bodyguard Romance, Scottish MMC, Strong FMC, Accidental Pregnancy, Right Person, Wrong Time, He Falls First, Found Family
Thanks to Must Love Audio, Luna Literary, Lyric Audiobooks, and the author for the gifted audio and ebook - all opinions are my own
Lachlan and Thea
📚These two were such great side characters in the previous books and I knew their story was gonna be a good one. The yearning is prominent in Lachlan and Thea’s relationship but, as is usually the case, it’s never easy for the strong independent FMCs. The push and pull between these two last years and makes for a great story. I really felt the love and chemistry come across in the writing.
🎧These narrators were put to the test in this one and passed with flying colors. The dual style narration was done to perfection and was even more impressive with the different accents they both had to perform. It was a flawless performance by both!
Series / Standalone: Interconnected Standalone (A Fractured Frequencies Novel)
Tropes: Bodyguard Romance, Scottish MMC, Strong FMC, Accidental Pregnancy, Right Person, Wrong Time, He Falls First, Found Family
Thanks to Must Love Audio, Luna Literary, Lyric Audiobooks, and the author for the gifted audio and ebook - all opinions are my own
Lachlan and Thea
📚These two were such great side characters in the previous books and I knew their story was gonna be a good one. The yearning is prominent in Lachlan and Thea’s relationship but, as is usually the case, it’s never easy for the strong independent FMCs. The push and pull between these two last years and makes for a great story. I really felt the love and chemistry come across in the writing.
🎧These narrators were put to the test in this one and passed with flying colors. The dual style narration was done to perfection and was even more impressive with the different accents they both had to perform. It was a flawless performance by both!
October 11, 2026
Thank you so much for allowing me an ARC copy of this book! ❤️
This was such an easy and enjoyable read! Thea and Lockie have such a strong connection from the very beginning. The way they can find each other in a crowded room and how the world seems to go quiet every time their eyes meet? I loved that so much!
And Lockie… He is the kind of man everyone hopes for when they find themselves pregnant. Accident or not, he stepped up and took care of Thea like it was the most natural thing in the world. The way he showed up for her made me love him even more!
Besides Thea and Lockie, there are so many other characters who add to the story and help bring everything together. I also feel like I would have enjoyed those relationships even more if I had read the previous books in the series first.
Overall, this was a well written, easy to read friends-to-lovers romance with an accidental pregnancy, nd a man who absolutely knows how to show up for his woman.
This was such an easy and enjoyable read! Thea and Lockie have such a strong connection from the very beginning. The way they can find each other in a crowded room and how the world seems to go quiet every time their eyes meet? I loved that so much!
And Lockie… He is the kind of man everyone hopes for when they find themselves pregnant. Accident or not, he stepped up and took care of Thea like it was the most natural thing in the world. The way he showed up for her made me love him even more!
Besides Thea and Lockie, there are so many other characters who add to the story and help bring everything together. I also feel like I would have enjoyed those relationships even more if I had read the previous books in the series first.
Overall, this was a well written, easy to read friends-to-lovers romance with an accidental pregnancy, nd a man who absolutely knows how to show up for his woman.
Read
October 18, 2026This was a cute and angsty second chance romance.
Thea and Lachlan “Lockie” met years ago, but they were never really together. I liked that we got to see their relationship form over the years.
When Thea ended up accidentally pregnant, Lockie was all in. And they finally decided to stop
fighting their feelings for each other. But he still had his own trauma to work through.
There was so much love between them, and I was glad when they finally figured everything out.
Narrated by: Shane East and Stella Hunter
Narration Style: Dual
The dual narration by Shane East and Stella Hunter was great. Both narrators were perfect for their character, and they made the side characters all sound different which was great.
Thea and Lachlan “Lockie” met years ago, but they were never really together. I liked that we got to see their relationship form over the years.
When Thea ended up accidentally pregnant, Lockie was all in. And they finally decided to stop
fighting their feelings for each other. But he still had his own trauma to work through.
There was so much love between them, and I was glad when they finally figured everything out.
Narrated by: Shane East and Stella Hunter
Narration Style: Dual
The dual narration by Shane East and Stella Hunter was great. Both narrators were perfect for their character, and they made the side characters all sound different which was great.
October 13, 2026
OMGGGG this is an audiobook that the doctor ordered! My ears were soooo happy!
Shane East and Stella Hunter were amazing!!!
Now I need to go back and listen to the previous books because I know they were are going to be amazing also!
If you like accidental pregnancy, bodyguard but not hers, second chance (sorta) right person, wrong time, he falls first, found family then you’ll devour this one! LISTEN TO IT!!!
Thank you Luna Literary for giving me the opportunity to listen to Dissonance in advance!
Shane East and Stella Hunter were amazing!!!
Now I need to go back and listen to the previous books because I know they were are going to be amazing also!
If you like accidental pregnancy, bodyguard but not hers, second chance (sorta) right person, wrong time, he falls first, found family then you’ll devour this one! LISTEN TO IT!!!
Thank you Luna Literary for giving me the opportunity to listen to Dissonance in advance!
November 6, 2026
Loooove this audiobook! Stella Hunter knocked her performance of the sassy, kinda grumpy, bada$$ executive out of the park, and I think this is Shane East at his very best! Dual narration and it worked so well with these two, their impressions of each other's characters were aligned in a way that made it a seamless listen!
Accidental pregnancy isn't always a trope I enjoy, but this one hooked me! Definitely give it a go! (also the drunk cameos of book 2's MMC had me CACKLING out loud in my car when I got to it!)
Accidental pregnancy isn't always a trope I enjoy, but this one hooked me! Definitely give it a go! (also the drunk cameos of book 2's MMC had me CACKLING out loud in my car when I got to it!)
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews