Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. She's been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Author and Best Romance for her international bestseller On Dublin Street. On Dublin Street is Samantha's first adult contemporary romance series and has sold in 31 countries.
For the most part, writing is a solitary endeavor, but publishing most certainly is not. I have to thank Stacie Ervin and Kalie Phillips for reading Eredine’s story before everyone else and providing such amazing insight into her character. I appreciate you guys more than you know. Also, thank you to my lovely friend Catherine Cowles for also reading an early version of Be With Me and providing support throughout the whole writing process. Love you loads!
Of course I have to thank my amazing editor Jennifer Sommersby Young for always, always being there to help make me a better writer and storyteller. Thank you!
Thank you to Julie Deaton for proofreading Be With Me and catching all the things. You have an amazing eye for detail and I’m always reassured my stories are going out into the world in the best possible shape.
And thank you to my bestie and PA extraordinaire Ashleen Walker for handling all the little things and supporting me through everything. I appreciate you so much. And miss and love you loads.
The life of a writer doesn’t stop with the book. Our job expands beyond the written word to marketing, advertising, graphic design, social media management, and more. Help from those in the know goes a long way. A huge thank-you to Nina Grinstead at Valentine PR for your encouragement, support, insight and advice. You’re invaluable to me and I hope you know how much I cherish you.
Thank you to every single blogger, Instagrammer, and book lover who has helped spread the word about my books. You all are appreciated so much! On that note, a massive thank-you to the fantastic readers in my private Facebook group, Sam’s Clan McBookish. You’re truly special and the loveliest readers a girl could ask for. Your continued and ceaseless support is awe-inspiring and I’m so grateful for you all.
A massive thank-you to Hang Le for once again creating a stunning cover that establishes the perfect visual atmosphere for this story and this series. You amaze me! And thank you to Regina Wamba for the beautiful couple photography that brings Eredine and Arran to life.
As always, thank you to my agent Lauren Abramo for making it possible for readers all over the world to find my words. You’re phenomenal, and I’m so lucky to have you.
A huge thank-you to my family and friends for always supporting and encouraging me, and for listening to me talk, sometimes in circles, about the worlds I live in.
Finally, to you, thank you for reading. It means the everything to me.
PROLOGUE
EREDINE
Eight years ago
Los Angeles, California
United States
Staring at the map of Scotland on the laptop screen, I tried to picture myself in the place labeled Ardnoch, right on the northeastern coastline of the mainland. Having never been there, it wasn’t