Highlands Christmas is the first in a two part-novella about Melissa MacKenzie’s romantic adventures in Inverness, Scotland. When her cheating husband asks Melissa for a divorce on Thanksgiving evening, she flees America to Scotland where she has recently inherited family property. Her husband’s lawyer, Colin MacGregor, happens to be taking the same flight and train back home to Scotland for the holidays, and a bubbling romance ensues. Colin and his welcoming family help Melissa sample Scottish food and learn the local customs as she redesigns the crumbling interior of the home she has inherited.
This short novella is a quick read, and it provides readers with a lovely holiday escape into a beautiful Scottish environment. Melissa’s new home is located on the shores of Loch Ness, bagpipers play in the streets, and men wear the kilts of their clans. Melissa attends the Highland Games, takes part in gingerbread baking competitions, samples Scottish cuisine, and prepares for Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve) celebrations. I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of the Scottish countryside and nod to local customs. Readers will be treated to an overview of Scottish folklore and Celtic traditions as they watch the sweet romance between Melissa and Colin unfold. As the book explains, “when a handsome man in a kilt beckons, you follow,” and I had fun following along on Melissa and Colin’s adventures!
Like a light-hearted holiday romance movie, this book allows readers an escape from the everyday world. The sequel promises more romance to come! If you enjoy Christmas stories with a touch of happily-ever-after and a strong Scottish flavor, you will enjoy Highlands Christmas: Wishes Come True. You can find it here.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.
Kelly Jarvis works as the Assistant Editor for The Fairy Tale Magazine where she writes stories, poems, essays, book reviews, and interviews. Her poetry has also been featured or is forthcoming in Blue Heron Review, Mermaids Monthly, Eternal Haunted Summer, Forget Me Not Press, The Magic of Us, A Moon of One’s Own, Baseball Bard, and Corvid Queen. Her short fiction has appeared in The Chamber Magazine and the World Weaver Press Anthology Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/
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