What do you think?
Rate this book
Drumveyn #1
Drumveyn: An uplifting, life-affirming novel set in the stunning Scottish Highlands
In helping others achieve happiness, will she find hers at last?Even four months after Sir Charles Napier's death, his widow, Madeleine, is finding it hard to free herself from his lingering domination. She still maintains the oppressive lifestyle he had ordained, which had finally driven her children from their large and remote Scottish home. Then Madeleine becomes aware of people who need her betrayed daughter Lisa; her son, Archie, with his plans for the estate and the problems of his foundering marriage; a friend at a crossroads in her life; an abandoned child and an unwanted baby.In meeting these challenges Madeleine discovers self-confidence and independence, and a new beginning at the heart of a wider, happier family in a transformed Drumveyn. ***********Readers are loving DRUMVEYN!'True Scottish escapism' - 5 STARS'A triple romance in glorious surroundings' - 5 STARS'I loved the story and didn't want it to end' - 5 STARS'The descriptions of the highlands are wonderful, you feel you are there - 5 STARS'Great characterisation in an area I love' - 5 STARS
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1996
7 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 4, 2011
Raife's books are so frickin', compulsively readable to me, and Drumveyn, her very first novel, is no exception. It is my favorite Raife novel so far (I've read 2 others), and it examines what it means to have a frozen life. The main heroine, Madeleine Napier, is very relatable as she explores widowed life without her controlling, emotionally distant husband of 26 years. Her quest to find herself and find fulfillment in her life at age 46 is one that touched and moved me. Secondary characters including her two grown children, a daughter-in-law, and a young cook weren't as successfully portrayed IMO, but still have much to offer the reader.
The thing I admire most about Raife's writing style is that even when she presents the reader with some unbelievable story lines, or characters that don't behave in normal, reasonable ways, you're still invested in the overall story and want to read it from start to finish. I think in the hands of another writer some of Raife's plot ideas or character attributes would make me throw the books into a wall in disgust and disbelief, but in her hands I can almost, almost not only accept these wild leaps of illogic, but also understand why they happened. That's a skillful writer, folks...
So far, Raife is my favorite "newly discovered" writer in 2011. I look forward to many more reading hours in her Scottish highland world.
The thing I admire most about Raife's writing style is that even when she presents the reader with some unbelievable story lines, or characters that don't behave in normal, reasonable ways, you're still invested in the overall story and want to read it from start to finish. I think in the hands of another writer some of Raife's plot ideas or character attributes would make me throw the books into a wall in disgust and disbelief, but in her hands I can almost, almost not only accept these wild leaps of illogic, but also understand why they happened. That's a skillful writer, folks...
So far, Raife is my favorite "newly discovered" writer in 2011. I look forward to many more reading hours in her Scottish highland world.
April 26, 2022
One of my favourite themes in literature is personal transformation, and in this case it is the owner of a gloomy pile in Scotland who emerges from her old life like a butterfly after her husband dies. It is refreshing to see a romance develop with a handsome, vigorous middle-aged man who has a bald spot! (This could be a first in any romance novel I have ever read). The house itself, the Scottish countryside, and the supporting characters were all interesting. I'm subtracting one star because I can't for the life of me understand why the woman was such a doormat in her previous existence, even making her own children suffer from her passivity.
April 21, 2016
I loved this book, but I hate that poor Maddie waited until her husband died to start living life. I wish she had stood up for herself sooner.
February 20, 2025
Started out enjoying the simple story, but this book was way too long for what amounts to a middle aged woman discovering her sexuality & an emotionally stunted woman giving birth to a baby to save (but fails to save) her marriage.
For this book not really having sex scenes everyone is really horny.
Rating might be lower than it should be, but the beginning gave me high expectations that was never met.
For this book not really having sex scenes everyone is really horny.
Rating might be lower than it should be, but the beginning gave me high expectations that was never met.
January 30, 2018
A re-read of a book I found while cleaning bookshelves - exactly the comforting read that I was looking for (I think they call it "hen lit") with Scottish houses and kitchen remodels and family dynamics and a mature love story (a la Pilcher0.
March 29, 2019
A triple romance in glorious surroundings
Alexandra Raids has an amazing understanding of people and how they tick. Coupled with a huge appreciation of the beauty of Scotland makes this a great story of love and loss and family life.
Alexandra Raids has an amazing understanding of people and how they tick. Coupled with a huge appreciation of the beauty of Scotland makes this a great story of love and loss and family life.
May 7, 2018
Family united.
April 18, 2019
The first half was slow reading for me, but then it picked up. Refreshing to read a romance about older people! A good solid 3 stars.
August 11, 2020
C-. fiction, contemporary, England
January 28, 2023
Alexandra Raife is such a good storyteller. She creates scenes that can be imagined, engrossing you in the lives and story of those she has created.
December 24, 2023
A feel-good, happy-ever-after read with some beautifully descriptive nature writing and some insightful analysis of individual behaviour.
November 14, 2025
Three and a half stars - a lovely gentle escapist read.
June 24, 2015
When I ran across this title in a used book shop I read the description on the back cover and set the book on the shelf. I had no intention of buying it. I was unfamiliar with the author and naively thought it was going to be boring. I continued searching for titles of books I needed when I came back to the shelf this book was on. Apparently I failed to shelf it properly and it stuck out. I looked at the book again and, this time, I admired the front cover. DRUMVEYN was an unusual name and the house and grounds looked eerily like it might make an interesting gothic-type romance. So I bought it.
It starts out several months after the death of Madeleine Napier's husband, Sir Charles. You slowly get an idea of what Madeleine was like; she had been married for 26 years, had two children and had nothing to show for her life.
Charles had dictated what she had become. The caretakers, the Platts, had been with the house for as long as she could remember and they were rude. Her mother was on her fourth marriage and was nowhere around and her son and daughter felt alienated. She knew that they had concerns of their own but confided little to her. She had one old friend that visited her recently but didn't stay long because of the crushing feel of this house. Up to this point, a feeling Madeleine had always taken for granted.
Then on page 44 things started to accelerate. Madeleine's daughter, Lisa, headed back to her mother's house. Madeleine's safe and boring world begins to change. Without giving away too much of the story, the author takes a group of characters and weaves their individual stories together to make an interesting family drama. And family they are, whether they are related to each other or not with Madeleine as their center. Each of them is valued and needed and it shows.
I would recommend this book to twenty-somethings that are old souls, thirty-ish people with eclectic tastes but those that are 40 and older because you might remember the era it was written in and appreciate it more. DRUMVEYN was published in 1997 and sometimes it felt mildly dated but not in a bad way.
Because of a few minor quirks I couldn't give it five stars. It was suppose to take place in Scotland but with the exception of a few times the language spoken made me think England was the actual setting. Also, time passing by came into question several times. Something would be going on and then several weeks had come and gone with little explanation. The month of August moved very slowly into September. It wouldn't have been so bad except I took notice.
Most everyone finds happiness in the end. A few in unusual places. One moment hippy-style, another time highly emotional, the storyline continually flowed. For me it wasn't a page-turner but the content kept me interested until the end. I am very tempted to read RETURN TO DRUMVEYN, the sequel, if I can find it.
***Oh, and I never did learn where the title of the book came from.***
It starts out several months after the death of Madeleine Napier's husband, Sir Charles. You slowly get an idea of what Madeleine was like; she had been married for 26 years, had two children and had nothing to show for her life.
Charles had dictated what she had become. The caretakers, the Platts, had been with the house for as long as she could remember and they were rude. Her mother was on her fourth marriage and was nowhere around and her son and daughter felt alienated. She knew that they had concerns of their own but confided little to her. She had one old friend that visited her recently but didn't stay long because of the crushing feel of this house. Up to this point, a feeling Madeleine had always taken for granted.
Then on page 44 things started to accelerate. Madeleine's daughter, Lisa, headed back to her mother's house. Madeleine's safe and boring world begins to change. Without giving away too much of the story, the author takes a group of characters and weaves their individual stories together to make an interesting family drama. And family they are, whether they are related to each other or not with Madeleine as their center. Each of them is valued and needed and it shows.
I would recommend this book to twenty-somethings that are old souls, thirty-ish people with eclectic tastes but those that are 40 and older because you might remember the era it was written in and appreciate it more. DRUMVEYN was published in 1997 and sometimes it felt mildly dated but not in a bad way.
Because of a few minor quirks I couldn't give it five stars. It was suppose to take place in Scotland but with the exception of a few times the language spoken made me think England was the actual setting. Also, time passing by came into question several times. Something would be going on and then several weeks had come and gone with little explanation. The month of August moved very slowly into September. It wouldn't have been so bad except I took notice.
Most everyone finds happiness in the end. A few in unusual places. One moment hippy-style, another time highly emotional, the storyline continually flowed. For me it wasn't a page-turner but the content kept me interested until the end. I am very tempted to read RETURN TO DRUMVEYN, the sequel, if I can find it.
***Oh, and I never did learn where the title of the book came from.***
July 25, 2014
I found this book, I think on my mums bookshelf. It laid on a pile of books for long bevore I started it last week.
I really regret that it is now finished. Such a heartwarmlng story. Sometlme a bit overdone but still nice. Sometimes a bit too perfect and well fitting but that was right what I needed.
I really regret that it is now finished. Such a heartwarmlng story. Sometlme a bit overdone but still nice. Sometimes a bit too perfect and well fitting but that was right what I needed.
May 17, 2010
I read this so long ago that I can't remember exactly why I loved it! I do love Scotland and this book reminded me a bit of Rosamund Pilcher's works. Good summer read. I loaned it to a friend and she loved it too.
June 10, 2013
Fun and poignant story about family issues in Scotland. Like all Alexandra Raife's stories, communication is a major issue. Thankfully, the miscommunication in this one is less exasperating than most.
May 23, 2008
for fans of Rosamund Pilcher
January 25, 2008
Madeleine is trying to come to terms with her husband's death. As she matures and develops, she learns to live again. Reasuring, sympathetic and encouraging.
April 25, 2014
Great story about the rebuilding of a family, outside of the normal "family".
June 24, 2015
One of my alltime favourites!
May 30, 2014
A wonderful story teller.
May 28, 2009
I loved the setting. The story was a bit overdone with sappiness but I still enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews