Summer in the Scottish Highlands

Scottish Highlands #1

by Donna Ashcroft

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.

Previously titled Summer at Kindness Cottage.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Ebooks, Womens Fiction, Audiobook

286 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2021

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft is a contemporary romance. in this story the main character Paige Dougall has decided to return home to the little village of Lockton in the Scottish Highlands. At thirty Paige feels that her life has fallen apart when only a short year ago she thought she had everything with a loving husband and her daughter but now she is going through a divorce.

Paige had every plan made to return to London after taking a break in Lockton with her daughter until she finds herself stepping into the job of helping set up the new library and meeting Johnny Becker. Paige keeps telling everyone that her work with the library is temporary but with her relationship with Johnny growing each day she doesn’t know if leaving is the right choice anymore.

Summer in the Scottish Highlands was originally titled Summer At Kindness Cottage pre-release and I have to say the first title and the cute cover is what drew me in. After reading though I could understand more the title change as the book didn’t seem to do the setting of either the cottage or the Scottish Highlands justice in my opinion. This story seemed to focus more on Paige’s regrowth and putting her life back together which was a nice story but I couldn’t help but wish the setting jumped out more. This sweet summer romance ended up at three and a half stars for me and made a nice, quick summery beach read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Tanya R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unpopular opinion: Paige was super annoying! Anyone else? No, just me?

Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth. The perfect opportunity is staring Paige in the face and she blindly continues to make her plans to return back to the big city, not knowing about her job or her place to live. All while she has a child to take care of.

And she seemed so negative and grumpy all the time. I'm not a fan of grumpy characters so I was over this one just as it begun.

[Bookworm86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Summer In The Scottish Highlands' by Donna Ashcroft.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Donna Ashcroft, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 4th June 2021.

This is the first book I have read by this author.

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching beaitiful cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'Perfect for fans of Nicola May, Sarah Morgan and Cathy Bramley'. I am a fan of Sarah Morgan so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 27 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually been on holiday to Scotland on several occasions so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere that Donna has based the book on.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Paige Dougall and Johnny Becker. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

What an absolutely stunning read!!! A perfectly gorgeous book!!! The vivid descriptions left me feeling the fresh air of Scotland and the title, synopsis and cover suited the storyline perfectly.

This book is absolutely rammed full of love, choices, happiness, regrets, friendship and books!!!! I absolutely adore books that talk about books and this one is definitely one of the best I've read in a long time. It made me laugh, cry, smile and fall in love with Scotland. I just adored that alot of the plot was based around a library and books!!! The storyline was sweet, romantic, uplifting and everything you want in a heart warming romance and I completely fell head over heels in love!!! The Scottish dialect was perfect and it really made me feel like I was in Scotland. I was devastated when I came to the end and realised I would have to unpack my suitcase as I genuinely felt as if I'd been on a holiday. It was an uplifting breathe of fresh air!!! It ended absolutely perfectly!!!

The characters were all strong, well defined and realistic. I fell in love with every single one of them and was gutted when I came to the end. This book would make a gorgeous series and I would love to meet all the characters again. Paige is such a strong character and after being through hell I loved watching her form friendships and find happiness. I adored how she started reading again when she came back home. Grace was an absolute sweetheart. Johnny was an absolute hunk and I enjoyed reading his slogan of the day, nice touch!! I also really enjoyed learning about all the different members of the community and it reflected a small town community perfectly. Of course I cannot forget the adorable Mack and his mischievous ways.

Well done Donna on an absolutely gorgeous book. Welcome to my favourite authour team!!! I am thoroughly looking forward to reading more of your books past and future. Congratulations on a stunning success!!

Overall an absolutely stunning page turning romance that will make you smile, laugh and keep you up all night absorbing the pages.

Genres covered in this book include Romance and Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as anyone looking for an uplifting romance!!!!


273 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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[Tahera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer in the Scottish Highlands is the second book I have read by Donna Ashcroft and my second outing to the village of Lockton in the Scottish Highlands. We get to experience the beauty of summer in the Highlands with vivid descriptions of the natural and rustic beauty of the mountains, woods and village and we get to see a new romance brewing between two new characters Paige Dougall and Johnny Becker both of whom have come back to Lockton broken, hurt and emotionally damaged, each trying to move forward from a life which was less than ideal both personally and professionally. I loved the camaraderie and chemistry between them and how they help each other heal and find their true purpose. Paige has a 3 year old daughter Grace and she is absolutely adorable ❤️!! All of the remaining supporting characters (both humans and animals) are brilliant. My favourite was Morag Dooley who runs the post office and is the village gossip who makes it a point to know everybody's business. Even at her 70+age she has spunk and an attitude to match!

The book is titled Summer in the Scottish Highlands and previously was titled Summer at Kindness Cottage. Although Kindness Cottage, which is Paige's parents home, plays a part towards her healing, the one place that steals the limelight is the village library called the Books Barn. Paige used to work in this library as a young girl under the mentorship of the previous librarian Aileen before leaving her life at Lockton and eloping with a stranger for a 'promised' better future. Aileen was known as a book whisperer and when Paige offers to help reopen the library and run it till the course of her vacation, she realises that Aileen might have rubbed that talent onto her as well.

This is a delightful and beautiful book with a gorgeous cover picture to match ❤️! Scotland is one country I hope to visit someday and books like this one just whets my hope more.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and the author Donna Ashcroft for the e-Arc of the book.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft is a sweet, wonderful, genuine, uplifting, and enjoyable contemporary romance that I truly enjoyed.

This is my first book by Ms. Ashcroft, and I am most certainly now a fan.

I loved everything about this book:

1. Location: a small village (Lockton) in picturesque Scotland. The author’s ability to describe not only the natural landscapes but also the quintessential village life was spot on.

2. Character cast: I loved the full character cast that was depicted. There are your awesome relatives, quirky and wise older characters, adorable dogs (Mack!!!!), and a great main character duo: Paige Dougall and Johnny Becker. Both had excellent chemistry, realistic, imperfect, and down to earth. Both had been hurt in the past (sometimes self-induced) and both were permanently changed because of internal and external circumstances. I really liked how both seemed to bring out the best in one another, helped each other work through their hang-ups, and helped one another heal. I am really glad that both were able to find happiness and purpose not only with one another, but also within their own community, and within themselves. Those are the best kinds of endings.

4. I lived the inclusion of the library. That is my true dream job, so anytime a library or bookstore is involved, I am totally on board.

An excellent book that gave me the warm fuzzies, but also was realistic and effortlessly natural.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Bookouture for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sorting out sad memories while building a new future for herself and her daughter, Paige Dougall is doing her best. Heartbreak and tragedy are only a couple of the challenges she faces. ending time in the Scottish Highlands with her parents, Paige continually dreams to return to the success and happiness she once had while living in London.

Yes, London is her dream, but Paige cannot deny the rush of pleasure and joy she experiences while in her picturesque hometown. Add to that new pieces of her life begin to fall into place - a job, even Johnny Becker, a local chef who begins to open Paige's eyes to new experiences and feelings. Dreams of London soon begin to fade away...

Paige is not the only one with troubles, however. Johnny has baggage as well. Being drawn to one another proves that the both of them must step out of the comfort zones, accepting that trust can lead to so much more. Drawing attachments n this stage of their lives is something neither of them anticipated.

This endearing story offered a gentle reminder that we can have control over our own happiness. It was so lovely to seeing Paige and Johnny bring that into their reality. It is a story of friendship, family and love that will warm the heart of many readers.

Msny thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paige is a young single mother who has been addicted to her work. Johnny is a chef who left a bustling life in NYC after a health scare to settle down in a small town in Scotland. THIS BOOK! The characters are all so charming. I love small town vibes in my comfort reads and this book delivers. The whole time I was rooting for Paige to open her eyes and see what is good for her. Honestly...who doesn't want to find a man like Johnny? I very much enjoyed this book becuase I've been in a bit of a reading slump and this was book was never tedious, and throughly enjoyable. I think you will like this book if you enjoy shows like Gilmore Girls or The Good Witch and movies like The Holiday!

Thank you to Donna Ashcroft, Bookouture Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC which did not influence my review.

[Nicola Clough · Rating 5 out of 5]

My word this book didn’t disappoint at all it was fantastic from the first page and I got hooked. You feel as if you are there in the beautiful village yourself. Full of heartbreak finding yourself and being happy again finding friends and romance. The characters are brilliant but the plot is outstanding and hope we may get a follow up.
Paige thinks she had it all a happy life with a child and husband and a perfect job but this soon changes she’s a single mother and not happy in her job so decides to head home to Scotland to her parents to find herself. She’s soon learning she has neglected herself not eating right and she’s so unhappy she can’t see a way out. But she pumps into Johnny who also thought he had it all a great job but then he nearly died and realised more to life so heads home to Scotland. Neither of them want to find romance again and try to avoid it but the more time Paige spends with him she starts eating better and looking after herself she has enjoyed helping out in the library and is offered a job but she feels she needs to head back to London to her job. Problem is when she goes back will she be happy or will she realise what she has missed and head back or not.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

One Sentence Summary - Lovely parts, though a bit unrealistic in places, this is a good fluff read if you don’t mind your characters lacking depth.

My issue with this book was that, even for a fluffy, HEA narrative, it was a little lacking in substance for me. The story centres around Paige and Johnny, who meet in a little village called Lockton, where they’ve both gone to heal. Paige feels as though her life is a mess and Johnny is determined to take life easy, after the challenges of the New York food scene.

There’s a predictability to this book, which is probably a large part of its appeal; it’s quite easy to see the how the story will progress. And if that’s what you’re looking for, a little light escapism where all the problems in the world can be righted with chocolate muffins and salmon parcels, then this is definitely the book for you.

For me, and maybe it’s the volume of romance books I’ve been reading recently, I am looking for a little more. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking for a heart-wrenching, soul-destroying book at the moment either. I would just like to see a little bit of realism creeping in on the hills being alive with the sound of music. Maybe this is too much to ask for in a 278 page story?

[Els · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me witch an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Summer at kindness cottage is a fun summer beach read about a single mother who is returning to the village she grew up in and a former workaholic chef who slowed down his life after health problems. The cast of characters is very enjoyable and though the book is clearly part of a series it is written in a way that makes it easy to enjoy as a standalone.

[Salomé Vögel · Rating 4 out of 5]

cucu et attachant, c'était ce que j'attendais

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer at Kindness Cottage
5✨

Summer in the Scottish Highlands. Loved the bookstore and the little girl.

[Federica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh such a lovely read!
The story is heartwarming and definitely pulls you in right from the start. Loved both the setting and the characters. Adorable little Grace and puppy Mack are an added bonus!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Corinne Rodrigues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paige and her little girl, Grace, come home to her parents in the little village of Lockton in the Scottish Highlands to spend what she thinks is a few days. The first person she meets is Johnny, who seems to be a new comer to the village. Off to a turbulent start thanks to Johnny’s puppy, Mack, Paige is not impressed with this man who seems so laid back and quite similar to her ex husband.

Paige and Johnny seem to suffer from the same problem. Going after their dreams and goals seems to lead them to stress and breakdown. Paige has been forced to take a break and since her house in London is not ready for her to occupy, she is forced to to come live with her parents. Johnny, having learned the hard way, what stress can lead to, has opted for a commitment free life in Lockton. While there are sparks between them, Paige is determined to go back to London and Johnny can’t think of making an commitment to keep her in Lockton.

I loved how this story evolved. Despite her fears of rejection from the community she left behind in a hurry, Paige is accepted with open arms by the villages. She’s tasked with refurbishment and relaunch of the library she worked in when she was younger. Meanwhile, Johnny who has been recruited to help her with the library, manages to draw her out and he’s determined to make her relish food again. This calls for him to try out new things and rediscover the joy of cooking, a passion he turned into a profession, but no longer really gives his all to.

This is such a sweet story and one that I’ll remember for a long time. With a lovely young child, a naughty dog, family that’s will to forgive and be there and a supportive and loving community. The community consists of a great deal of interesting characters who are ready to give a lot of their time and effort to make Lockton a thriving village.

The author has created a great cast of characters and her descriptions of the Scottish countryside leave one with a longing to visit.

Under the humour and romance, I found this to be a story of redemption of sorts, with both the main characters gradually becoming better and more centred versions of themselves.

[Emma Star Crossed Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. I read If Every Day Was Christmas at the end of 2020 and I really enjoyed it so I was excited to return to Lockton in the Summertime.

Paige and Johnny are a pair of characters that you just instantly root for. They both need a bit of love and happiness in their lives. I really liked them both. I would absolutely love Jonny to cook for me. I had quite the rumbling stomach while reading this book.

I adored Mack the little mischievous pup! He made me laugh with all the antics he got up to.

I really liked having the stories of the other villagers going on in the background. I think it really helps to me the village more realistic. The location is so well described that I could see myself there going for walks and look at the countryside. I am dying to go to Scotland again. I also loved the library!

This was a lovely easy summer read. Go grab an ice cream, a cold drink and settle down with this book. It will be an afternoon you won't regret!

[Terric853 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this super cute book!! Paige is a widowed mother of an almost 6-year-old who has been ordered to take an administrative leave from her job as an event organizer due to stress. So, she goes home to her mam and da in the tiny town of Lockton where she grew up to regroup and recover while she waits for the sale of the home she's purchased to go through.

In Lockton, Paige finds that she's relaxing and her daughter is thriving, but she still plans to go back to London. She worked in the local library as a teenager until she met her husband and he swept her of her feet - and out of town. The librarian died and the library closed for repairs. Since she's an event organizer and was the librarian's protege (everyone in town expected Paige to take over eventually), Paige is coerced by her mam and two other influential village women to take on the task of reopening the library.

Helping her refurbish the library is Johnny Becker, a former high profile chef who had an exclusive restaurant in New York City, but is now dedicated to being laid back. Johnny has his own issues, especially when it comes to commitment - even if the commitment is to training a rambunctious Golden Retriever puppy.

I loved all the characters, the town, Mack (the puppy) and the story. Fun and cute and an excellent romance novel.

[Els · Rating 5 out of 5]

You are desperate. Your life is turned upside down and you have shut everybody out. You can deal with everything by yourself, until you can’t anymore. That when it’s time to let yourself be surrounded by your family, but only for a few days. Afterwards you will be able to go home stronger and ready to tackle your every day life again.

Is this what you really want? Yes, of course it is, or isn’t it?

There are a lot of decisions you have to make. Will you be able to open your heart again not only to friendship, but also to love? Do you believe the villagers when they tell you you belong here or are you certain the big city is what you call home. But where is home? Isn’t is where your heart is or does your brain tells you otherwise?

It’s great to be back in Scotland and reconnect with all the lovely characters in the village. It’s a magical place where love blossoms, second chances are given and the community sticks together.

Friendship, love and some TLC are the perfect medicine to cure everything, if you let them in.

A lovely story where a dog seems to be a great doctor too. 🙂 5 stars

Thank you, Donna Ashcroft and Bookouture

[Fiene1359 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like this book, but I read this between other books, just bc I didn’t have any other books to read at the time. That’s probably why I didn’t really got into the story till later on.

I feel like the beginning was a little overexplained, and the ending was really rushed.

Johnny is really sweet and caring, and I love him for not giving up on their story. Paige, I didn’t like her as much. She sometimes was just a bit annoying to me, but it also made her feel more real.

Grace, little princess is so cute! I love their family dynamic

The story is kinda fun, but there is really nothing happening for some reason. It’s just life in a small town while preparing to go away. Idk, it was fun to read.

Anyway,

3⭐️

xF

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice romance about two people who are starting over by leaving stressful careers and relationships. Besides the two of them we meet the woman's daughter and parents. The people are likeable, the town sounds idyllic. The man is a chef, and the woman has left a career in event planning to help reopen the local public library. I found there are other stories from that community and I've already downloaded one of them.

[Susanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet feel-good read. But, Paige made me want to scream in frustration with her determination to continue doing something that's slowly killing her! Anyway, its a really sweet read, with lots of feel good moments, a cute (mischevious) puppy and a beautiful setting.

[Amy Beth Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy little read with great character development! I adored all the characters in this story. Reminds me of a season of Virgin River. This was a nice summer read to take a break from some of the heavier stuff I've been reading. It was refreshing and sweet.

[Hannah Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a lovely romance book, made me laugh and at times was very cute 🥰

[Eline Schoonhoven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tsja, ik snap wel dat dit gratis op Kindle stond, maar op zich heb ik me prima vermaakt

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ach!

I almost gave up on this book. It's hard to enjoy a book when the main character is someone you don't like. I decided to finish it, but I still don't like Paige.

[Makenzie Muñoz · Rating 2 out of 5]

enjoyable, Hallmark summer read! Probably would've gotten a higher rating if I hadn't just read such a great book before this one!

[Rachel Stansel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet story about the importance of finding the joy in each day. I enjoyed the full cast of characters in this quick read.

Full disclosure- I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a charming book! Donna Ashcroft’s Summer in the Scottish Highlands is a lovely read! Paige Dougall’s life is in turmoil, and she’s moving back to her parents’ home, Kindness Cottage, to try to start over. Paige meets Johnny Becker and oh how her life is about to change. This feel-good book will make you believe in the power of second chances and starting over. I look forward to reading more books by Donna Ashcroft.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't finish it. I'm counting it as read because I read 217/282 pages plus the ending.
I was too bored to read it entirely. It's not a romance, there is too much outside of it, and none of it really interested me.
I'm giving it three stars, which is generous for a book I didn't finish. But it's not a bad book, just not exactly for me. I need more romance, something more emotionnally intense, or more lighthearted and funny. But this book fell in between, it was a bit bland.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely book. I adored the setting and the characters. The story was heartwarming and engaging, It really pulled you in. A perfect summer read.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft is a sweet little summer read. It follows Paige and her young daughter Grace, when they return home to Lockton after life becomes disastrous in London. There she meets Johnny and finds the little library needs help to reopen. The story revolves around will she or won't she on both these counts.

The writing is good, you can immerse yourself into the lives and feelings of all 3 of these characters. There are plenty of laughs and lots of tears along the way.

The pace is reasonably steady throughout, never too fast, but I did find it a little slow in places.

Overall, a good little book to while away a quiet evening or to take along to the beach on a sunny day.