Seaside Dreams on the Scottish Isle: The perfect, heartwarming romance to escape with

by Lilac Mills

The man she's never forgotten is about to change her life foreverGiselle Ellis loves nothing better than to make gorgeous art from the sea glass she finds on the shores of the wild and beautiful Duncoorie loch. Living in a cute little cottage with a studio in Coorie Castle’s craft centre and a close-knit community of crafting friends, she has everything she's ever needed.

Then tragedy strikes and the castle has a new owner – someone she once had a brief but passionate fling with many years ago…

Rocco Moore isn’t the man Gisele remembers. When he threatens the craft centre’s very existence, she knows she has a fight on her hand. But as they reconnect and she begins to fall in love with him, Giselle realises she risks more than losing her livelihood. She might also lose her heart.

An emotional and sweet romance, perfect for fans of Sue Moorcroft, Suzanne Snow and Heidi Swain.

285 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 22, 2026

About the author

Lilac lives on a Welsh hillside with her very patient husband and incredibly sweet dog, where she grows veggies (if the slugs don't get them), bakes (badly) and loves making things out of glitter and glue (a mess, usually).
 
She's been an avid reader ever since she got her hands on a copy of Noddy Goes to Toytown when she was five, and she once tried to read everything in her local library starting with A and working her way through the alphabet.

She loves long, hot summer days in the garden, and cold winter ones snuggled in front of the fire, but whatever the weather she's usually writing, or thinking about writing, with heartwarming romance and happy-ever-afters always on her mind. 

Reviews

[Simone ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I genuinely don’t even know where to start with this one because I adored it so much the whole way through this read, from a the prettiest setting to incredible characters I cannot find a single flaw - not only is the relationship between Rocco & Giselle perfect but I loved each every member of the Coorie Castle family, the way that they looked out for each other was so special and I loved how each relationship & connection was unique in their own way it added the perfect found family element to this series as a whole as well as Giselle & Rocco’s story specifically 🫶🏻

I loved the way that Giselle & Rocco found each other again, they are an amazing example of how the people that are meant to be in our lives find their way too us because not only did they meet by coincidence in Venice but the fact that Rocco had no idea that Giselle worked at the castle before he arrived shows that even though their paths hadn’t crossed in the 10 years that they were apart they were always meant to find their way back to each other because they are soulmates 🥹 I adored seeing Giselle be given the love she deserves because she is the sweetest person ever and only deserves the best but I also adored seeing Rocco finally have the courage to put himself first after years of putting his job above his wants & needs.

I also loved seeing Rocco fall in love with Skye, the way that the Isle provided him with a place to land as well as somewhere that feels like home even though he had never visited before was the best and I am so incredibly happy that he & Giselle got to spend so much time exploring and making memories together! Plus the way Rocco loves Giselle is something else and I loved the way that he put her above everything else eve when things got tough & their feelings hadn’t been shared he always found a way to keep her safe and happy at every single turn 🥰

Overall, i’m so in love with this book it’s hard to even explain it - this read is for sure my top of this series and it has without a doubt made its way into my top 5 lilac books of all time! I cannot wait to see what else is in store for the world of Lilac & her books 📚

[Luisa Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another lovely, uplifting romance from Lilac Mills, with plenty of obstacles to be overcome and a couple I could really root for. It was wonderful to return to Coorie Castle and its community of crafters for this delightful story.
Seaside Dreams on the Scottish Isle made me long to return to Skye in real life. The descriptions of the settings brought back lovely memories of the island’s wonderful scenery - honestly, the author should get a bonus from the Scottish tourist board for making the islands sound such an irresistible destination. I also loved the details of the sea glass pictures and could easily imagine them. The chemistry between the couple really sparked and I loved the sharpness of Giselle’s banter with Rocco. She’s a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go for it.
Such an enjoyable story to continue this terrific series. I hope there will be another before too long!
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a lovely, heartfelt story. I already love this author, and this book just reminded me why. Giselle and Rocco had great spark and depth, and the supporting characters really brought the world to life. The relationships felt real and warm, and I found myself genuinely cheering for them.

The Isle of Skye setting was incredible. The way the author wove in local knowledge, history, and scenery made me feel like I’d been whisked away on holiday. The pacing worked so well, too, and I was happily absorbed in the story from start to finish.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and got completely lost in Skye.
Perfect for anyone who loves romance with heart and atmosphere.

[Emily West · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle read that beautifully describes the Skye landscape and allows you to picture it, imaging yourself there. There is less focus in the craft centre but does look at the art of using sea glass to make unique pieces of art and you can see it would be perfect for the landscape of Skye. It is the third book in the series and I would recommend reading the others first, but if you are short of time, this does work as a standalone book.

[Grace Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved returning to Coorie Castle set on the beautiful Isle of Skye. The location sounds idyllic and I would love to visit the castle and the workshops.
Giselle and Rocco have history and when they meet again ten years later they are drawn to each other despite some obstacles the attraction is strong.
Emotional, dreamy and so romantic.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing heartwarming romance. Love the way Lilac Mills brings every character to life so you are hooked from the beginning. Was shocked by something that happened in the beginning but absolutely loved where it took you.

[patricia mctaggart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I simply wanted more .