Windswept

by Patricia Evans

When Sabine Rowan moves home to New Orleans after a family tragedy, she escapes into her favorite romance novels as she cares for her mother, a pampered former actress with a flair for the dramatic. Thoughts of finding love start to fade until her favorite aunt passes away and leaves Sabine with the equivalent of a ticking time bomb and a nearly impossible to gain her inheritance she must leave home and find her own place in the world.

Everyone in the tiny village of Nairn, in the Highlands of Scotland, turns to Alden Wallace when they need expert help restoring their historic homes. Still reeling from her latest romantic disaster, Alden barely notices the most recent American tourist to swan into their village. Until she buys an abandoned lighthouse and Alden is the only one who can save the crumbling disaster from disappearing into the sea.

Can the windswept shores of Scotland weave enough magic to bring them together?

Genres: Romance

264 pages, Paperback

Published October 10, 2023

About the author

Patricia Evans is currently writing your new favorite novel in her hand-built tiny house, nestled deep in the forest, where she’s surrounded by a bevy of raccoons and a sleepy brown bear named Waddles.
She travels to Ireland and Scotland several times a year in search of the perfect whiskey and cigar combination and spends most of her time trying to ignore the characters from her books that boss her around as she writes by the fire.

This author also writes under the pen names Patricia Evans Jordan and Patricia Evans Cox.

Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Rosi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been an Outlander-style story but in a modern way, if only because it takes place mainly in the highlands of Scotland and the majority of its protagonists are Scots, lovers of whiskey, who even wear the occasional article of typical clothing. But don't let this be a reason not to appreciate the depth of the story, since it deals with complex issues in a sensitive way and has its final plot twist that puts everything in its place.

Sabine is a woman in her thirties, from New Orleans, who has just suffered the loss of her aunt to whom she was very close, more so than with her mother, alcoholic and dependent on her, To Sabine's surprise, her aunt has left a very specific and detailed will that gives her the option of continuing to care for her mother, with no hope that she will give up drinking, or leave everything and go on a trip immediately to a place that she doesn't know. Without being able to think about it much, she decided to go on the trip that takes her first to Edinburgh and then to a town on the north coast of Scotland, right in the middle of a cold and snow wave, she with her New Orleans clothes that consist of sneakers and denim jacket.

But in that highland town she will be lucky enough to meet Alden, an architect who recovers historic buildings and restores them with her own hands. And from their first meeting in the pub kitchen until the end everything has been a series of diverse situations, surprising in some cases, magical, dramatic, but taken with a positive attitude in all cases, which takes away the sting a little.

As I say, there are all kinds of situations, final surprises, inexplicable things, perhaps magical. But what stands out are the two protagonists of it, Sabine for her bravery and Alden for her strength. A couple not to forget.


Publisher Bold Strokes Books was kind enough to provide me with an advanced reading copy via Netgalley for an honest review

[Kexx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book - read in one afternoon under a thick duvet. Wonderful! And she even knows sign language. Is this the same person as Patricia Evans Jordon?

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

When her beloved aunt dies she leaves an unusual bequest to Sabine Rowan. She can get a minimal inheritance and stay in New Orleans caring for an alcoholic mother or she can leave on short notice and live abroad for a year and gain a much larger inheritance. Less than 24 hours later Sabine arrives in Scotland. A post it note in her aunt's writing has her catching a train to the small Highland village of Muir Rothesay. Arriving during a snowstorm a local pub owner welcomes her help in getting meals out to people in need. She meets Alden Wallace, a certified historic preservationist and handsome butch.

The book starts a little rough for me. An intimate scene comes from out of nowhere and seems out of place. And anyone who has visited Edinburgh Castle knows it is not next to the sea, but over 3 miles inland. The story got better for me around the 20 percent mark when Alden entered the picture. I love the Highland cows. We cheered every time we saw them when driving in Scotland. The village is warm and welcoming except for the two men at the train station. Didn’t love that scene either. In a town as small as described Alden should probably have known them. But I will overlook those moments for comfortable love in the Highlands and a little magical surprise from her aunt. I liked how the story came together and especially the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

[hubsie]

DNF at 40%, I couldn't seem to find any oomph to pick this up again after taking a long break. Too many whiplash moments, as in "where did that come from and what did it add to the story?" and the inaccuracies of real places, and the lack of any spark between the MCs drew me further away. Sorry about that!

[Aleana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Sabine put everyone first she moved back home to take care of her mother who in my opinion isn’t really a mother to Sabine or her sister Colette. When Sabine aunt Thea pass away she leaves her with an impossible choice a choice that can change her life. Sabine although hesitant decides to follow her aunt advice and goes to Scotland something her and aunt always talk about while there Sabine does have some troubles but eventually meets a kind man name Morgan and eventually his daughter Alden who particularly doesn’t likes Americans. While there she feels her aunt is leading towards something when she happens upon a lighthouse she wants it not knowing it’s going to lead to changing her life. I enjoy this read I like the bond Sabine has with her sister and I love the romance between Sabine and Alden even though it’s was a bit quick to say I love you I didn’t mind it because this was more about finding out who you are and where you belong.

[Fran Sappharc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled a wee bit at the start, in the first few paragraphs but as soon as conversation started I was settled. Fortunately conversation started quickly. (3%.) Also possibly because my head was ready to explode at the idea of arriving in a foreign country with no accommodation booked….. It is explained and logical in the book but totally out my way of doing things. (With enough notice and planning I could do spontaneity, I just choose not to!)
That thought was quite quickly put out my head as the next scene was slightly different than I expected. I’m not 100% sure it was set up so that it flowed.
One of the problems with being from where a book is set, or nearby, is that linguistic attempts to bring local flavour don’t always land well. Also if the book is written by an American, but it is a Scot talking (or their thoughts, and the words that would be used,) aren’t native, it is a distraction. As was the drink driving. (Anyone not local, I would imagine, can ignore these!)
I’ve got quite a lot of niggles, because of reality, however I’m still reading and interested.
There was a jeopardy scene, that I honestly wasn’t sure how it would go, I was quite tense but again I’m not sure it fitted with what went before, perhaps that was the writers plan, more disturbing because it didn’t fit with what went before? Also afterwards, it wasn’t really dealt with. This is a small place, everyone seems everyone’s best pal from school or ex or neighbour….. These bad actors stood out, should have stood out, and been dealt with.
There are some lines and scenes I’m loving, tho I’ve now started telling myself that it is set somewhere else, to try and get out my way!
““I think people don’t understand that we put boundaries in place not to shut people out, but to try to keep them in our lives.” Love that line!
There is a cancer preventative mastectomy in the storyline and, totally on me, this retrospectively made me uncomfortable with the character having been referred to by people as lad. (This is sort of referenced later, but I still wasn’t with it. For me that part didn’t work, which is a shame because I loved the tattoo idea.) Possibly me, but I’m reading and this is my opinion.
I found myself invested in the ending, tho’ I could have done without the supernatural intervention.
The final intimate scene also didn’t work for me. Too masculine. Again, personal taste.
This was rounded up to a 3, rounding required from a natives point of view, probably a straight 3 if set elsewhere.

[Chira · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Windswept” really feels like an appropriate title because that’s certainly how I felt about the plot. It seemed to blow from one place to another at various points.

On its most basic level, the romance between Sabine and Alden is nice, there’s just a lot that happens that feels out of place and really confusing given the whole setup. The initial sex scene with a completely random person we never see again feels like whiplash, since we are given quite a lot of backstory and setup for someone who gets left behind two pages later. As does the sexual assault scene - for a small town in the middle of a snowstorm, why does Alden not recognize any of the perpetrators? Why is this happening at all? It doesn’t get addressed much aside from serving as a reason for Alden and Sabine to talk during the night. Alden’s ex-girlfriend shows up for approximately five pages and brings such a minuscule blip of drama that you’re left wondering why she was even there, aside from a line later (that still feels undeserved, given that Sabine and Alden had known each other for a month at that point). It just gives the entire book a rushed, un-anchored feeling of a collection of scenes that feel like three different ideas for a book merged together into one.

There are a lot of good points about being sucked into an abusive parents’ orbit, about setting boundaries and connecting with family, about taking chances when you can and being open to new opportunities.

If it were a more cohesive story, it had the potential to be quite good, but as it is, it doesn’t have the impact it wants because everything skims along so quickly through a number of emotional story beats that don’t get time to breathe.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy Moly! What a seductive tale of finding yourself in another country. I usually have a good chance of figuring out a story before I get to the end but this one kept in entranced until the last page. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for providing an eARC for a honest review.

[Sue Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book this book covers a multitude of topics, alcoholism, abuse, estrangement, pregnancy, death, and loss sabine rowan life is about to change, her favourite auntie has just died and part of her will stats that sabine has 3 hours to leave new orleans and get on a plane... destination unknown and stay there for a year she cant tell anyone and so begins the adventure i have to say i thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldnt put it down at all...in fact at times i cried thats how this book moved me will be looking out for more of this authors books from now on

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a very short summary, this book follows Sabine, a theater set creator in New Orleans. Her recently deceased aunt gives her the opportunity to accrue a small sum of money by staying in New Orleans, or receiving a large sum of money upon the agreement to live in Scotland for the duration of one year. Sabine is faced with a choice between staying her abusive, alcoholic mother or venturing on to something much scarier, moving across the world. When she makes her choice to leave, she's met with the trials and tribulations of being a foreigner in a new country. But that all changes when she meets Alden, the Muir Rothesay native.

I have say, this book was really something. I've spent my fair share of time in Scotland, and the way the author captures the whole vibe there is spot on. Her characters were very well done. Sabine's character was totally relatable and full-bodied. You can tell the author put in the hours to make them feel real. Even Alden, not being the main character, got a lot attention in her story, and that made the whole relationship dynamic much more relatable. The story itself was also very well done! I liked how the main character decided to stick around in one place. It's something that happens when you travel - you find a spot that pulls you in, and you just hunker down there for a bit.

But here's the thing that bugged me: the lack of simple accuracy. Just as one example, the author claims that Edinburgh Castle is right on the edge of the ocean. That is simply geographically inaccurate. The castle is approximately three miles from the ocean, so the character could not have possibly seen the waves crashing below her. Plus, if you're not a UK citizen, you can only stay for a max of six months without a Visa. This would have made the duration of 1 year criteria a bit difficult for Sabine. I think a little more familiarity with these details would have made the story feel a little more realistic.

All in all, though, I really enjoyed the book. It had that well-roundedness I appreciate, and it leaned into familiar lesbian tropes that we all love. I mean, if you're not going to follow those tropes in a sapphic novel, then what's the point, right?

[Chanelle chanelleschapter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Windswept - Patricia Evans
3/5 STARS 2/5 SPICE

I was given a free advanced reader copy of this book through NetGalley. I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

This is so wholesome and sad. I don’t want to spoil much because a lot of big stuff happens throughout this that really shapes the book. This book is really strong in love, family, and loving YOUR life. It starts in New Orleans, Sabine is a strong FMC and she is taking care of her alcoholic mother (to the point where. Sabine has stopped living her own life). The passing of Sabine’s Aunt Thea is the wake-up call she desperately needs. Following Theas Will she hopes on a plane to Scotland with zero plan and a backpack of her belongings. A note in the folder from her aunt's lawyer brings her to a small traditional Scottish town. This is where the real story begins. Sabine is finding herself and making many mistakes along the way. She is taken in with open arms by the Wallace’s who are by far the cutest family on earth!!!!! The love story unravels from there because the Wallaces have a brooding, masculine daughter who would fit the Google definition of Scottish. Her job is literally historical restoration. And you better believe she does it all with her big hands! If you love heartwarming stories, almost Hallmark style with a bit more spice. Found families, rekindling with family, love at first sight, sapphic, Scotland, small towns, beautiful scenery, “meant to be” kinds of books. This is for you. I don’t tend to like this kind of story too much. The start really was like a 1-2 star for me. But once I hit 40% I was into it. There is this train station scene which is totally TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR SA. That was intense and totally out of nowhere. Anyway, the start of the book felt rushed and a bit nonsensical. The FMC hooks up with another character before meeting the other FMC which is always super weird I find. And it was COMPLETELY unnecessary, they didn’t even talk about it again. One chapter they get it on and the next she’s leaving town. I had a hard time keeping track of the plot up until that 40% point. So for me, this is only a 3-star. I did really fall in love with the characters. They are all so distinct despite there being a ton of never really feels like a lot.

[Liralen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sabine has lived in New Orleans her whole life, and she pretty much expects to die there—with her mother's instability, there's no way she can ever leave. Until, that is, she's given an ultimatum: stay in New Orleans and carry on as she has been...or upend her life, move abroad, and inherit half a million dollars and then some. It doesn't hurt that when she picks the latter option, there are plenty of hot women ready to jump into bed with her...

There's a lot to like here, including the setting and the book's refusal to have the characters fall into a misunderstanding plotline. Also, I was basically sold by the part of the description where Sabine buys an abandoned lighthouse and has to restore it.

But other things...don't make a lot of sense. Let's start with the book description:

When Sabine Rowan moves home to New Orleans after a family tragedy, she escapes into her theater career as she cares for her mother, a pampered former actress with a flair for the dramatic. Thoughts of finding love start to fade until her favorite aunt passes away and leaves Sabine with the equivalent of a ticking time bomb and a nearly impossible choice—to gain her inheritance she must leave New Orleans within three hours and board a flight across the Atlantic.

This is mostly accurate, though it leaves out the part where Sabine's mother has (not a spoiler; it's apparent within the first pages) severe alcoholism and has pressed Sabine into something of a codependent relationship. But then we get to this:

Everyone in the tiny village of Muir Rothesay, in the Highlands of Scotland, turns to Alden Wallace when they need an expert to help restore their historic homes. Still reeling from her latest romantic disaster, Alden barely notices the most recent American tourist to swan into their village. Until she buys an abandoned lighthouse and Alden is the only one who can save the crumbling disaster from disappearing into the sea.

Uh...Alden barely thinks about her ex. She definitely doesn't 'barely notice' Sabine, who also definitely doesn't 'swan'. After a rocky intro, they're into each other almost from the word go. But more to the point: abandoned? The lighthouse isn't abandoned; it's been meticulously restored and is sold fully furnished and ready to go; the most Sabine has to do is learn to light a fire. Where is the renovation romance I was promised? Where are the fanciful lighthouse details and the vicarious move-into-a-characterful-house experience?

Can the windswept shores of Scotland weave enough magic to bring them together?

Ah...yes. It takes about three minutes before they decide they want to be together. The rest of the book is just window dressing.

But I digress. The description probably wasn't written by the author—it may have been written by someone in the marketing department who skimmed the book? I'm not sure. It's inaccurate, but that's an oversight on the part of the publisher, not the author.

Some of the plot things, though...Sabine is sent off to Scotland for a year with no planning, cool. Except: she's going on a US passport, which means that to stay longer than six months she should need a visa, no? I actually really like the 'off you go to another country with no planning' setup, but I don't love the waving away of legal and logistical matters. (She also buys a piece of property with pretty much zero effort or red tape, which seems sus, but what do I know—I'm a millennial; I'll never be able to afford property.) Sabine has a fling with a woman in Edinburgh, but to what end I don't know; it doesn't seem to serve any plot point, and there's nothing to suggest that Sabine had inhibitions that she had to work through. Later, there's a scene full of sexual violence that is barely ever referenced again and makes zero sense in context—in a village of a few hundred people, nobody is worried about a couple of men running around ready to rape a hypothermic woman? (Which brings me to another point: nobody seems worried about the fact that said hypothermic woman would rather resign herself to dying from hypothermia than, like, ask for help.) Alden doesn't recognize them, and nobody makes an effort to pursue them or bring them to justice or...? The sexual violence blasts onto the page and then fades from the book's memory. Similarly, Alden's sorority-girl ex shows up for two scenes to wreak some havoc...but goes out with neither a whimper nor a bang, just a conversation between Alden and Sabine and then the sorority girl is never seen again. For all that I'm glad to (mostly) avoid the 'oh no, what if she's secretly still in love with her ex' plot, I just don't understand what it added here; I'd much rather have seen a deeper dive into Sabine's family revelations.

So I don't know. The writing was good, I liked both the heroines, but the asphalt of this plot is real full of holes. I hope the next book goes through a few more rounds of editing.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book…my goodness this book. This book is a dichotomy, it’s like two books in one. You start out reading one book and then wham, it’s like a totally different book takes over about halfway in!

So first, the good…the story started off really strong, the writing was engaging and I very quickly got a clear picture of who Sabine was and what was currently happening in her life. I liked the uniqueness of the plot and honestly I’m always going to be a sucker for anyone who saves a woman from being assaulted so Alden was immediately getting brownie points. There was some nice chemistry brewing and people were being referred to as “beautifully savage” or some such so I was looking forward to where I thought this book was going.

And then, it was like the book just suddenly veered off course. The author skipped the whole (necessary, and in my opinion best part) getting to know and fall for each other part of the story and suddenly Sabine is insanely jealous of an ex and Alden is darn near professing her love. After basically one day of knowing each other. It was such a jolt to the system that if I had been drinking I would have done a spit take!

I did finish it because I wanted to know the mystery of why the aunt did what she did and the book was short enough for me to get through quickly. Which honestly I think was part of the problem. It needed about another good forty to fifty pages of them getting to know and fall for each other before the ex came to town. As-is the book has potential, but for me it just stopped being believable and it lost me.

I received an ARC of this ebook from Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

[Shimere Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Windswept" is a captivating tale that draws you into the lives of its characters, particularly the sisters Sabine and Collette their family and then Aldean and her family as well. Throughout the story, I found their journeys to be deeply engaging and enjoyable. The author skillfully portrays their struggles and personal growth, making it easy to feel a connection to their experiences.

The narrative is not without its surprises, as unexpected twists are cleverly woven into the plot, adding depth and intrigue to the story. These unforeseen developments kept me eagerly turning the pages, eager to see how the characters would navigate their challenges.

However, my enthusiasm was somewhat dampened by the book's conclusion. After being immersed in the beautifully detailed and flawlessly flowing narrative, the ending (last 10%) felt abrupt and lacking in resolution. It was as if an important conversation took place off-screen, leaving readers wanting more closure and insight into the characters' futures.

Despite this disappointment, "Windswept" remains a worthwhile read due to its engaging storyline and well-crafted characters. While the ending may leave you wanting, the journey is undeniably enjoyable. I would recommend giving this book a chance, but be prepared for a somewhat unsatisfying conclusion. Overall, it's a 4-star read for its strengths in storytelling and character development.

[Bee Sherrard · Rating 4 out of 5]

In New Orleans we have Sabine Rowan, a hard working ‘set dresser’ at the theater her family owns. Her talent and hard work has seen her working her trade at theaters close and far from home. Now she's stuck in NO mainly because her mother and father had a bad accident, killing her father, while after treatment for her injuries she became a semi housebound actress who survived on alcohol. Sabine was trying to look after her but…when Sabine's aunt Thea dies she leaves Sabine a chance to see the world, mainly Scotland where she must stay a year to get the rest of her inheritance.
Meanwhile in Scotland Alden Wallace has moved back in with her parents when her younger sister dies, leaving her nephew Declan with her family. Alden works on old estates left to the wilds. Fixing them up for the tourists so they can see how life was in Scotland years ago. Of course when the two mains meet it doesn’t go well, seeing as it's the middle of a winter storm and Sabine doesn’t have a place to stay.
Ms Evans does a great job wrangling together a really wonderful read with a plot that keeps you interested. Main characters Sabine and Alden are very likable and the supporting cast excellent. Simply a very, very nice read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out strong. The first couple of chapters, which take place in New Orleans, were powerful and beautifully written. Once Sabine flew to Scotland however, the story started unraveling for me.

The first red flag for me was the random stranger Sabine had sex with when first arriving in Scotland. It was senseless and didn't add to the story one bit. I kept waiting for the person to pop up again to cause mayhem. The same goes for Alden's ex-girlfriend. She pops up for a few pages, never to be heard from again. if this was an attempt to add drama or conflict, it didn't work.

The other issue I had, and this is just personal preference, is the butch/femme basis for the book. Every time I heard Alden referred to in a masculine way, I rolled my eyes.

This was just too many stories in one that couldn't decide what it wanted to be. It was a romance, it was mystical, it was a drama, but it wasn't a fully-hashed novel.

Note to publisher - I'm not sure if what was shared is the final version, but I found a lot of grammatical errors, such as words missing.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite the roller coaster this book, with a fish out of water perspective, I could suspend my disbelief, that someone would move from New Orleans to Edinburgh at the request of someone that died but would they really do that without a warm coat? That aside, the story is quite fast paced, I really enjoyed the exploration of boundaries, in so many ways but especially in managing someone with an active addiction. I liked all the characters, Alden's family in particular and the local eccentrics. The story is UK based but the author is American and whilst she says she has done extensive research in both Scotland and Ireland for her books (with or without a warm coat is unspecified), she mixed up the dialect. When the characters slip into dialect, which isn't consistent, it is Irish idioms that they use, not Scottish, hence I am deducting the star that I usually award for UK set books. A light fun read, mostly, although there is a jarring scene of violence early in the book.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nathalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sabine just lost her aunt and while she's grieving her mother is spiralling out of control. When the will is read she gets put for the decision to accept a small amount of cash or go to Scotland for a year and inherit a huge amount of money. The catch is that she can't ask any questions, has to decide overnight and can't be in contact with her mother.

It was interesting to read how Sabine trusted her aunt and got on the flight. Her trip to Scotland didn't come without challenges and some wrong decisions on Sabine's part but it does lead her to a small town where she meets Alden.

The story was filled with heavy topics as the death of a parent, alcoholism and parental abuse which made it hard to read sometimes. But there are also hopeful moments mostly with Alden's family.

The love scenes were not my thing but that's more of a me thing than a negative thing.

3 stars because I felt the story lacking in some parts and the ending was a bit predictable.

An ARC was given to me via Netgalley in return of an honest review.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sabina Rowan is a an artist and works for the theater designing sets. She is stuck in New Orleans taking care of her alcoholic mother for 3 years until she loses her aunt and is given the opportunity of a lifetime, but has to make a decision in 3 hours. She ends up in Scotland where her life changes for the better.

Enter Alden Wallace, who is a architect and historian that restores old buildings. She lives in a small town in Scotland where her parents live as well. She runs into Sabine and doesn't think much of the American, they are thrown together and feelings grow, but don't really see it.

I loved the setting and seeing Sabine explore Scotland, but I had a hard time connecting with how their relationship happened. It moved too quickly, there was no development and I wasn't invested in their relationship. It seemed to cut and dry.

This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed the writing and the setting as well as the surprises in the book. Overall, it's not a bad book, but not sure I could recommend it.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Boasie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a few of Evans' novels and she always takes me on a wonderful journey with a little twist of magic. Windswept is no different.

When your Aunt who as recently passed away gives you an ultimatum you either take it and soar or you don't and remain stuck. Within in a few hours of hearing hearing her Aunt's will, Sabine Rowan is flying to Scotland and her future.

I love the way Evans' writes, she pulls no punches and that makes the her characters and places come alive with a realness that in other novels is sometimes missing. So vivid are Evans' descriptions of Scotland that I found myself thinking I should make the trip there again.

Do yourself a favour and get a copy of Windswept, I assure you that you won't be disappointed. It has everything you need in a good read, great characters, a brilliant story and lots of feels.

Can't wait to read Evans' next novel.

[Patty Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was good, but it felt like there were maybe to many side stories going on at the same time, so sometimes it was hard to keep up with what was happening, in the moment. The beginning was what kept me reading this book to the end. The relationships throughout this book was great especially the relationship between Sabine and Alden. There's quite a bit of drama, angst, heartbreak ,and triumph in this story,and I was here for all of it. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and I look forward to what's next from this author.

[MissAlice · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I've felt your heart beating in my chest since the moment I saw you.”

Flawless.

I have not read books by this author previously, but I am going to consume every single one now. I have fallen head over heels for these MC's. Their journey, their families, their meet-cute, the Highlands, the whiskey, and even a lighthouse turn into this beautiful mosaic of human experience. I couldn't put this book down and would read an entire series based around these wonderful women. Sapphic, Scotland, soulmates.... be still my little lesbian heart.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel made me want to drop everything and books flight to Scotland. I loved Sabine’s character and her growth through the help of Thea. Don’t even get me started on Alden and how much I loved her character and her entire family. I lived that this romance was not full to drama and angst but support and understanding. The plot wasn’t driven by the relationship. It was so great! I will reread this again and enjoy every minute of it!

[Dr E · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started well, but there were too many ideas for one book. I was unsure what the author was going for - mystery, romance, thriller, travel log. It was confusing. Also
I could forgive idea of the sea crashing onto the cliffs of Edinburgh castle as artistic licence, but signing in ASL to a boy who only learnt BSL a few years ago and him understanding perfectly is just too annoying to overlook. They are different languages! Including deaf characters is great, but at least get the basics right.

[Plot Twist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed the plot and unexpected twist. Sabine moves to Scotland to honor her aunt. She embarks on a journey of self discovery. Sabine meets Alden restores historic homes in Scotland. My only critique is I felt the romance between them wash rushed. The author does a great job with the chemistry and heat.

Thanks NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an awesome read. Patricia did an amazing job bringing this story to life. I enjoyed it tremendously and can't wait for another book by Patricia. Well Done! I recommend.
Thank you, Bold Strokes Books, and NetGalley.