Contemporary Romance published by Samantha Young 11 May 21
I always love it when a favorite author begins a new series. That means, of course, an older series was just completed, which it’s always sad to say goodbye to wonderful characters, but the excitement of meeting a whole new family and the anticipation of learning all about them takes over, and you can’t wait to get started. Romance readers, especially fans of Samantha Young, are going to have quite a terrific and unexpected time with the Adairs. There are five Adair siblings, so count on spending a lot of time with them in the future.
Lachlan, the oldest, walked away from his very successful film career and fame when his father passed away, placing him in charge of Ardnoch Castle in the Scottish Highlands. Two of his siblings are hither and yon, with the other two by his side to help run their elite business that caters to Lachlan’s former Hollywood associates. His best friend, Mac Galbraith, is also his security expert, who makes sure their members have no privacy issues when they visit the castle. Mac has been with Lachlan the last seventeen years, giving up his family life and getting to know his daughter.
That daughter is Robyn Penhaligon, who has come to visit her father after leaving behind her career as a Boston police officer. She was shot while on the job – a job she now realizes was not a passion for her – and decides it’s time to face her dad and get some answers. She remembers all the wonderful times with him as a child and wants to know why that wasn’t enough for him when he never returned when working for Lachlan Adair, a man she has resented since that time of taking her father from her. So meeting the man finally face to face is not something she’s looking forward to, and how right she is when they end up rubbing each other the wrong way and then some.
It does take a while before Lachlan and Robyn finally let their resentment go – it was years in the making, so time is given for them to see there is more to the picture than what they originally thought. However, once they turn the corner, it’s enjoyable to be part of a new relationship as it grows and has its issues. Lachlan is worried about what Mac thinks if he and Robyn hook up. Robyn is focused on learning the identity of the Ardnoch stalker, who has now upped his game and is causing more and more havoc for all of them. I like that they work together through any issues – except near the end when Robyn runs. That is a bit overblown for me, but it all works out in the end, of course.
The secondary characters, including the Adair siblings, add nice layers to the storyline, as does the village of Ardnoch and Scotland itself as the characters go from one place to another. I have to say, as much as I like Lachlan and Robyn, Mac is right up there as my favorite character. He was a young father, so he’s still in his prime and I hope he gets a book of his own down the road. After all these years, he’s a member of the Adair family, as far as they’re concerned, so maybe my hope will see fruition.
All in all, a nice start to a new series that is only going to get better as it goes along, because Ms. Young is that good. So I am very anxiously awaiting the next book to release.
Grade: A
Summary:
Settled in the tranquil remoteness of the Scottish Highlands, Ardnoch Estate caters to the rich and famous. It is as unattainable and as mysterious as its owner —ex-Hollywood leading man Lachlan Adair—and it’s poised on the edge of a dark scandal.
After narrowly escaping death, police officer Robyn Penhaligon leaves behind her life in Boston in search of some answers. Starting with Mac Galbraith, the Scottish father who abandoned her to pursue his career in private security. To re-connect with Mac, Robyn will finally meet a man she’s long resented. Lachlan Adair. Hostility instantly brews between Robyn and Lachlan. She thinks the head of the Adair family is high-handed and self-important. And finding closure with Mac is proving more difficult than she ever imagined. Robyn would sooner leave Ardnoch, but when she discovers Mac is embroiled in a threat against the Adairs and the exclusive members of the estate, she finds she’s not yet ready to give up on her father.
Determined to ensure Mac’s safety, Robyn investigates the disturbing crimes at Ardnoch, forcing her and Lachlan to spend time together. Soon it becomes clear a searing attraction exists beneath their animosity, and temptation leads them down a perilous path.
While they discover they are connected by something far more addictive than passion, Lachlan cannot let go of his grip on a painful past: a past that will destroy his future … if the insidious presence of an enemy lurking in the shadows of Ardnoch doesn’t do the job first.
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