Falling for Finley

by Sophie Beckett

A travel writer. A mountain man. Love wasn’t on the brochure.

For travel writer Autumn Mitchell, wanderlust isn’t just a lifestyle—it’s a job requirement. Silverbrae, North Carolina, is supposed to be her next quirky pit a place that’s all tartan, bagpipes, and a centuries-old love legend she can wrap in witty prose. What she doesn’t plan on is an undignified tumble by the waterfalls . . . or Duncan Finley, the snarky, handsome contractor who fishes her out. He’s as anchored to Silverbrae as she is allergic to staying put, which means she’s absolutely not falling for him, the town, or anything involving kilts.

Duncan has no interest in seeing his home turned into the next “hidden gem” for wedding blogs, and he definitely doesn’t need a camera-toting outsider poking around in its history. But Autumn’s sharp eye for the town’s stories—and that laugh—are hard to ignore.

As her deadline looms and the legend of Silverbrae wraps around them, Autumn and Duncan have to choose between letting the story end or writing their own.

What you can expect in the Kilts and Kisses Closed doors. Open hearts. Sometimes-kilted heroes.

Genres: Audiobook

118 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2025

Reviews

[Haylee]

Extremely quick read but nice little romantic story about a journalist who vacations at a small down to write a piece on upcoming trendy wedding destinations, only to fall in love with a local.
Feel good read but not outstanding. Probably a 3.5 🌟

[Terri M]

This sweet, short story was not set in the highlands, but if you love bagpipes, highland dancing and games, you’ll adore this love story. Duncan Finley lives in the mountains of North Carolina but he is Scottish through and through. He lives in a small town founded by the Scots in the 1800s and he and his friends uphold their clan traditions and he is firmly rooted by his commitment to his heritage. He knows he will never leave Silverbrae and the clans.

Autumn Mitchell is a travel writer. She has traveled the world, first as a child of a military father, then as a writer for a prestigious magazine. She knows no other life than being on the move and fears ever settling down in one place. When Autumn comes to Silverbrae to write about up and coming wedding venues she discovers a place out of time. She doesn’t just tot up locations, fees and sites she sees the town and people for who they are. She arrives at the time the town has a festival and Highland Games and is strongly drawn to craftsman, Duncan Finley, who invites her to partake in the cultural activities, not as a tourist but as a participant.

Duncan’s heart has been bruised by another young woman who came for similar reasons but did not stay. But Autumn is different…she actually sees and understands who the people are. Can he take a chance on the possibility that she might be the one who stays? Can Autumn come to appreciate a forever home? This story will leave you sighing in contentment.

[Robin G.]

Falling for Finley”by Sophie Beckett is a wonderful short story involving characters in the area of Silverbrae, NC. It is book one in this Kilts and Kisses series, and I confess, I am here primarily for the kilts. We start with a great meet cute, and then a charming and sweet love develops. The main characters are Autumn and Finley, but we are also introduced to several other characters that I hope to see in future books in this series.

I loved the story development and resolution, along with Autumn’s embrace of and by the citizens of Silberbrae. This is a great story when you wish for something easy that is also well-written. Also, did I mention the kilts?

I recommend this story for anyone looking to curl up with a low angst book and several wonderfully colorful characters.

[Ami Jacobs]

This book was short, sweet, and fun! I loved the clean and wholesome romance and the way the author moved the storyline along, keeping my attention. While I finished this tale in one sitting, I still got the feel of a whole story, with nothing missing, and the book was also a tribute to small towns everywhere!

[Maria Thomas]

This story is short and easily read in one sitting. Ms. Beckett is a new to me author and overall I liked the story. The characters were interesting and the setting sounded like a place I want to visit. I liked the way the story resolved with no one having to give up their dreams.
There was a mild sexual reference and I noted one mild swear.

[Lauren]

3⭐️

Falling for Finley was a cute, easy read, but it didn’t fully pull me in. I liked the characters and the small-town vibes, and there were definitely some sweet moments, but parts of the story felt a bit predictable and rushed. It was enjoyable enough for a cozy, low-stakes read, just not one that really stuck with me after I finished.

[*Nicole*]

Such a cute novella! I listened to this while cleaning and really felt the cozy vibes. I'm someone that never listens to audio books, because I need to read with my eyes to absorb a story! But this was a happy surprise! I had no trouble visualizing the town and the characters 😊 I'd recommend for a sweet, quick read!

[Maloleyskitten👹]

It was rather cute, not very special or anything but a sweet short story🫶🏼

[Madeline Hamblen]

Just a silly little read for a long commute day. The pacing wasn’t great but was expected because it was so short.

[Lilly]

Cozy read!

I’m very picky about the novellas that I read but I enjoyed this.


A great book to listen to while cleaning or cooking

[Tianas Reads]

3.75 very sweet read and really quick. It would of been a 4 star if it was alittle longer. but I did Enjoy this book.

[Kerri Seaman]

A cutie little novella. I listened to the audio because I had some audio hours to burn and really enjoyed it.

[Getpast40pages]

It's a very cute romance between a green flag man in an adorable small town and a sweet journalist trying to find where she belongs. It's a clean, quick pallet refresher worth the read.

[Boymom8121]

Couldn’t finish.

[Zia]

Such an adorable romance short story.

[S K]

What a cute and enjoyable read. Whenever I read short stories like this one that I like, I always wish they were fleshed out into longer novels. I love the theme, and I think the author could do so much with it.

[Jazi]

A cute, short and sweet love story

[Annie]

A nice cozy short story