Sheltered by the Highlander: A Grumpy/Sunshine Scottish Mountain Man Romance

by Skye MacDonald

Trapped by a blizzard, saved by a Highlander—and risking it all for a second chance at love.
Haunted by tragedy, former Search and Rescue pilot Callum MacTavish came home to Glencoe determined to live life alone in his remote bothy. He is a wounded, isolated Highlander convinced his past makes him too dangerous to love.

Sally Lampion is on the run from an abusive ex, fleeing Aberdeen for the ultimate vanishing the Highlands. When a violent blizzard hits the glen, Sally crashes into Callum’s life, forcing the ultimate Grumpy Hero to offer refuge.

Their sanctuary becomes a cage of forced proximity. Callum desperately needs his guest to leave; Sally desperately needs his strength to stay.

When the danger tracking Sally finds them, Callum must rise above his deepest fear—losing another person under his care—to unleash the fiercely protective nature he buried long ago.To keep her safe, he must choose partnership over isolation.

Perfect for readers craving mountain man romance, protective alpha heroes, and curvy heroines who refuse to back down. Escape to the snowy Highlands for a steamy, emotionally-charged short read—with a guaranteed happily ever after.

88 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2025

About the author

Skye MacDonald writes steamy contemporary romances that celebrate the rugged beauty and urban energy of Scotland. Under this pen name she explores love in all its forms—from off‑grid Highland cabins to glass‑walled penthouses overlooking Edinburgh Castle.

Her heroes range from gruff craftsmen and reclusive mountain men to charismatic billionaires; her heroines are curvy, creative women who refuse to settle for anything less than passion and partnership.

Skye’s reads are packed with tropes readers crave—forced proximity, grumpy‑sunshine dynamics, second chances and instalove—yet each story offers its own unique twist and emotional depth.

Writing is Skye’s second act after a decade in travel journalism, where she fell in love with the north’s wild landscapes and the capital’s thriving arts scene. That wanderlust now fuels her fiction.

When she isn’t writing, Skye can be found trekking along lochside trails, losing herself in Edinburgh’s bookshops, and sharing drams of whisky with her husband and two terriers. She believes there’s magic in every storm and starlit street—and her goal is to capture that magic on the page so readers can fall in love with Scotland right alongside her characters.

Reviews

[Chandra Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheltered by the Highlander by Skye MacDonald is a storm of emotion wrapped in the quiet beauty of the Scottish Highlands. It’s a story about survival, redemption, and the terrifying, exhilarating courage it takes to love again after loss.

Callum MacTavish once flew into danger for a living. As a Search and Rescue pilot, he was trained to save others—until the day a mission he approved went horribly wrong, leaving his helicopter in ruins and his beloved wife, Isla, gone. Crushed by guilt, Callum retreats to his remote bothy in Glencoe, determined to live out his days alone. The mountains don’t ask questions, and solitude doesn’t judge.

Then Sally Lampion stumbles into his life—literally—half-frozen, terrified, and running from a monster of her own. On the run from an abusive ex, she never expected to find safety in the arms of a gruff, scarred Highlander. But when a blizzard traps them together, the isolation that once felt comforting to Callum begins to thaw into something else entirely: connection, warmth, and the first flicker of hope he’s felt in years.

Their fragile peace is shattered when Sally’s violent ex, Marcus, tracks her down. In a pulse-pounding confrontation, it’s Callum who stands between her and danger—fighting not only Marcus, but the ghosts that have kept him frozen in guilt for so long. With the help of his brother, his friends, and the local police, he protects Sally—and, without realizing it, begins to save himself too.

But even after the danger passes, Callum’s greatest battle isn’t fought with fists or fear—it’s with his own heart. Convinced what they shared was only adrenaline and circumstance, he pushes Sally away, choosing safety over love. Her response is fierce and unforgettable: she calls him a fool and dares him to be brave with her.

And that’s what this story is really about—bravery. Not the kind that rushes into danger, but the quiet kind that lets someone in after you’ve lost everything. Sally’s strength helps Callum find his own, and together they remind us that healing isn’t about forgetting the past—it’s about believing in a future that’s still worth fighting for.

Sheltered by the Highlander is an achingly beautiful, deeply emotional romance about love that doesn’t come easy—but comes true. It’s for readers who crave stories where the heart finds its way home through pain, passion, and second chances. Skye MacDonald doesn’t just give us a Highland hero—she gives us a man learning to rescue himself, and the woman brave enough to love him through it.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Callum and Sally
Quik read, instalove, mountain man-city girl, small Scottish town, grumpy-sunshine, broken hero, domestic violence, danger, community of friends/found family, steamy, and HEA.
Sally get stuck in a snow storm in the mountains of Scotland. Shes running from her ex boyfriend who is abusive. She stumbles on callum's cabin and shelters there with him. Callum is hiding from the world after the lose of his wife years ago. He helps Sally and learns of her ex abusing her. When her ex shows up causing problems, Callum fights for her. After the danger passes, Callum must decide if he's willing to open up to love he's feeling for Sally.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nathalie DeSousa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skye MacDonald always pens beautiful stories about wounded/flawed alpha males and strong heroines who challenge their hearts. This book is small but completely tells the story of Callum and Sally. He is an ex military scarred by life and isolating from the world in the highlands; Sally is a strong, brave girl who runs into his life escaping her life choices. He fights the pull she has on him, she asks him to hold her through this. But will he be brave enough to open his heart? This small story is beautiful, the tension and chemistry between the MCs is just poetry. YOu are going to love this book!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Madelyn Crispell · Rating 4 out of 5]

❄️Sally and Callum❄️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶.5

Sally is on the run from her abusive ex when she gets stranded in a snow storm but fortunately she sees a light coming from a cottage.
Callum just wants to be left alone but when a woman falls into his arms right at his front door during a blizzard, he cant help but want to protect her.

-Grumpy mmc
-protective alpha mmc
-Forced Proximity
-Hea

This was a short but sweet read. If you need something to lift your mood before bed this is for you💕

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet and quick insta-love. She’s running from an abusive situation and he’s hiding from fear in his past. A snow storm brings them together and together they fight to overcome their issues. Callum and Sally their HEA and more.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novella. It shows how a woman's courage is needed when trying to better her life. It also shows how love can find you when you least expect it.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will she finally get her life back ?
Will he bury his past to see that he deserves life not ghosts?
Great story even we dealing with a lot of drama.
Very well written,very engaging story.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.