Summer in the Scottish Highlands – ARC Book Review

No. of pages:- 273 pages

Date published:- will be published on 4th June 2021

Publisher :- Bookouture

Genre:- Romantic Comedy

Rating:-

Escape to the gorgeous little village of Lockton in the Scottish Highlands, where you’ll discover sunshine, secrets and an unforgettable romance. It’s the perfect place to be this summer…

Thirty-year-old Paige Dougall’s life is a mess. Only a year ago she was smashing all of her life goals: handsome husband, high-flying job, cute kid. But in just under twelve months everything has gone wrong. Nursing a broken heart, single mother Paige returns to her childhood home in a picture-perfect Scottish village to try and get her life together.

Paige is too wrapped up in her worries to embrace the beautiful rolling hills and lavender-scented air of the highlands. That is until Johnny Becker, the infuriatingly cheerful chef, with his twinkling eyes and dimpled smile, steps onto the scene and provides Paige with some much-needed distraction…

Johnny challenges Paige to step outside her comfort zone and focus on the things that really matter. From food tasting, to puppy training, to mountain climbing, in every moment she spends with Johnny, Paige finds herself remembering how to live again… will she be able to love again too?

Across long sunshine-filled days, Paige and Johnny grow closer and she’s tempted to open her heart to him. But is happy-go-lucky Johnny hiding secrets of his own?

And can Paige learn to let go of her past and find happiness in the highlands?

A gorgeous, moving summer romance novel about finding joy in the small things and discovering what really matters in life. Perfect for fans of Nicola May, Sarah Morgan and Cathy Bramley.

Let’s talk about the cover–the front book cover is so pretty!!! I was instantly got attracted to the front cover that I didn’t hesitate when I requested this book!

One year ago, Paige Dougall had a perfect life–a steady job, a handsome husband with a daughter named Grace and living in London. But that all came crashing down and Paige moves to Lockton with her daughter Grace for the summer, nursing her broken heart. While in Lockton, she meets Johnny, a handsome chef who owns an inn and who also used to own a restaurant back in New York. Both then meet each other to reopen a library and soon both Paige and Johnny become closer to each other.

Let’s start with descriptions – I have never been to Scotland but the vivid descriptions of mountains in the Scottish countryside make the reader feel like they are actually living in Lockton. Through the author’s writing I imagined myself in the beautiful picturesque village in Scotland

Plot and the characters–though I do like how the library became a backdrop and background of the story that actually brought Johnny and Paige closer–what I like is how the romance slowly developed between the two characters. Both Paige and Johnny seemed to have a past and they both eventually became friends which soon developed into a romance. Oh, I also like Grace and of course Johnny’s dog Mack! Nearly all the characters in the book are likable!

Verdict:- Overall this is a cozy, romantic story that will take you to the beautiful scenic village in the heart of Scotland. There were some parts in the story that was a bit boring but nonetheless, I enjoyed reading this book–worth four stars!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Donna Ashcroft was born in London, England and grew up in Buckinghamshire. She went to university in Lancashire and, among other things, worked as a copywriter, buyer, waitress, secretary and marketing manager.

Donna wrote novels for over ten years before being published. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and was a joint recipient of the Katie Fforde Bursary in 2017. She has had six books published with Bookouture – her new book Summer in the Scottish Highlands is published in June 2021.

Donna loves a happy ending and is never happier than when she’s escaping into a romance novel or movie. When she’s not reading or writing she’ll probably be found hoovering … or negotiating with her teenagers about who is doing the washing up.

You can find Donna on Twitter @Donnashc or visit her at http://www.donna-writes.co.uk