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The Ghosts of Tullybrae House
THE PATH TO HER DESTINY LIES IN SOLVING A CENTURIES-OLD MYSTERY
Emmie Tunstall is in over her head. Not yet thirty, and she’s been hired as curator at Tullybrae House. A three-hundred year old manor in the Scottish Highlands, Tullybrae has more antique and historically significant artefacts than a museum. It will fall to Emmie to inspect, research and catalogue every last one.
Of the work itself, she is more than capable. But what Emmie doesn’t know is that she and Lamb, Tullybrae’s loyal butler, are not the only ones inhabiting the rambling, three-story mansion. She will soon realize that Tullybrae is also home to the ghosts of a little girl, a former countess, and even Lamb’s own long-deceased mother.
And there is another ghost: an unknown Highlander. Nothing survives of his name, his clan, even his death. Yet he is the one whose presence Emmie senses most strongly, and she becomes determined to solve his mystery. It is here that she is in over her head, for in uncovering his story, she may be uncovering the path to her own destiny.
Emmie Tunstall is in over her head. Not yet thirty, and she’s been hired as curator at Tullybrae House. A three-hundred year old manor in the Scottish Highlands, Tullybrae has more antique and historically significant artefacts than a museum. It will fall to Emmie to inspect, research and catalogue every last one.
Of the work itself, she is more than capable. But what Emmie doesn’t know is that she and Lamb, Tullybrae’s loyal butler, are not the only ones inhabiting the rambling, three-story mansion. She will soon realize that Tullybrae is also home to the ghosts of a little girl, a former countess, and even Lamb’s own long-deceased mother.
And there is another ghost: an unknown Highlander. Nothing survives of his name, his clan, even his death. Yet he is the one whose presence Emmie senses most strongly, and she becomes determined to solve his mystery. It is here that she is in over her head, for in uncovering his story, she may be uncovering the path to her own destiny.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2016
813 people are currently reading
696 people want to read
About the author
Veronica Bale
12 books65 followersVeronica Bale has written several novellas, short stories, and news articles as a freelance writer. She lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband, young son and two spoiled cats. When she's not writing she's an avid hockey mom, a running enthusiast, or she's reading. Visit Veronica online at www.veronicabale.com for what she's currently up to.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
May 10, 2021
A 300 yr old Scottish manor house and of course ghosts. Why wouldn’t I wanna read this book?
The Ghosts of Tullybrae House is a light read with an element of mystery. The story failed to give me the excitement that I had while reading the blurb, nevertheless, it was an easy and fun timeslip romance that was engaging.
The ghosts in the mansion are all lovable, I just couldn’t help but crack up reading the interactions between Lamb and his mother. Emmie’s love for the highlander was delightful, but the character of Cael never completely solidified for me. He’s a ghost yes, but his whole persona felt as if viewing thru a foggy mirror. On the other hand, Adam and Deano, the archaeologists at the site felt more interesting.
The ending kind of let me down, well, it was the obvious conclusion for a timeslip romance but even so, it was ho-hum.
The Ghosts of Tullybrae House is a light read with an element of mystery. The story failed to give me the excitement that I had while reading the blurb, nevertheless, it was an easy and fun timeslip romance that was engaging.
The ghosts in the mansion are all lovable, I just couldn’t help but crack up reading the interactions between Lamb and his mother. Emmie’s love for the highlander was delightful, but the character of Cael never completely solidified for me. He’s a ghost yes, but his whole persona felt as if viewing thru a foggy mirror. On the other hand, Adam and Deano, the archaeologists at the site felt more interesting.
The ending kind of let me down, well, it was the obvious conclusion for a timeslip romance but even so, it was ho-hum.
January 12, 2024
A somewhat fresh take on the Scottish time travel thing, with a young woman yearning for true connection being intrigued by the history of the Scottish manor that she is working at and its surrounding area. Pleasant escape.
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August 17, 2016I really wanted to like this- the premise was promising, unfortunately it fell very flat. Three quarters of the book could have been cut out. Description, after description, after description of mundane activities, surroundings, objects, etc- yet you never get a real feeling for the h's personality other than what the author directly states. She came out as a mostly silent, extremely socially awkward girl with mommy issues. If this was reworked with more emphasis on character development through showing, not telling, this would be great. As for the H, the only time he speaks is in his memories- and never directly to the h. I'm a fan of the strong but silent type- but not that silent.
January 7, 2017
This book wasn't terrible, it was simply ok. I thought it was going to be a spooky story about ghosts and a mysterious haunted house, but no, I was tricked into reading a romance novel. By the time I figured it out, I was way too deep into the book that I might as well finish it. I found the main character Emmie to be extremely annoying, self centered and quite frankly an all around B with all those people that cared for her. The ending was painfully dull. Quite frankly, I am much more upset with myself for reading the whole darned thing. ugh....
January 6, 2025
That ending!
I absolutely loved this book and all the twists kept me captivated. But that ending left me with so many emotions!
I absolutely loved this book and all the twists kept me captivated. But that ending left me with so many emotions!
November 4, 2016
I so wanted to love this book. I enjoyed the first half then the story fell flat. I felt the main character's relationship with her adopted family was very superficial and was an attempt to set the stage for her eventual rejection of her family.
The relationship with the highlander was underdeveloped therefore her ultimate decision seemed unnatural and premature. The plot built nicely then felt rushed and awkward at the end.
The relationship with the highlander was underdeveloped therefore her ultimate decision seemed unnatural and premature. The plot built nicely then felt rushed and awkward at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2018
Hmm.. not sure how I felt about this book to be honest.
On the one hand, I liked the plot because it wasn’t cliche like most ghost romances. It kept my interest and I wanted to finish it.
On the other hand, I’m having a hard time believing she fell for him just by feeling his presence for almost the entire book. In actuality, she only saw him a few times.
I guess I liked it enough to give it 3.5 Stars. I may think on it and change my mind later. We will see.
On the one hand, I liked the plot because it wasn’t cliche like most ghost romances. It kept my interest and I wanted to finish it.
On the other hand, I’m having a hard time believing she fell for him just by feeling his presence for almost the entire book. In actuality, she only saw him a few times.
I guess I liked it enough to give it 3.5 Stars. I may think on it and change my mind later. We will see.
May 10, 2017
Could not finish this book!
I only made it through only 37 per cent of this book because I couldn't take any more of the whining from Emmie, the main character . All she does is feel sorry for herself. I think the book would have been better with a stronger woman in the lead.
I only made it through only 37 per cent of this book because I couldn't take any more of the whining from Emmie, the main character . All she does is feel sorry for herself. I think the book would have been better with a stronger woman in the lead.
February 23, 2017
Truly an enchanting book. Not at all the type of book I would normally read but it was so well written and the character development was wonderful. Much more of a love story than a scary ghost story so if you are looking for true romance or lots of chills don't waste your time. If you are looking for something that will warm your heart and get your imagination working overtime. This is your book.
September 7, 2020
I read it in one sitting.
What a truly wonderful story of ghosts and love never given, only in death. Emmie is so intelligent but not so much that she allows her intelligence to overide Her need for love and fantasy. Cael. Her highlander and her love where only by sacrificing all she had could she possess him makes the story so intriqing. I loved it and as a history buff and daydreamer look forward to more. Thank you.
What a truly wonderful story of ghosts and love never given, only in death. Emmie is so intelligent but not so much that she allows her intelligence to overide Her need for love and fantasy. Cael. Her highlander and her love where only by sacrificing all she had could she possess him makes the story so intriqing. I loved it and as a history buff and daydreamer look forward to more. Thank you.
April 15, 2018
Loved this book! I usually only read historical romance. But Veronicas characters were a breath of fresh air. The whole book was different than anything I've read. Emma's account of her ordeal was so vivid
. I enjoyed this read immensely! I felt I was Emmie. My emotions were in ttune with the character! I highly recommend this book. I read it all in one sitting!
. I enjoyed this read immensely! I felt I was Emmie. My emotions were in ttune with the character! I highly recommend this book. I read it all in one sitting!
February 24, 2019
This was just silly.
November 27, 2025
This book was... a lot. Concept? Pretty good. Young woman gets her first professional job as a curator in an old Scottish house, turns out the house has ghosts. That bit was good.
It was her romance with the ghost of a highlander, who she then follows into the past and leaves behind her normal life to be with - that caused me some issues.
The first three quarters of the book was really good, I couldn't put it down.
Emmie was a well-rounded and pleasant young woman, even with all her neuroses controlling her behaviour half the time. I really believed that she enjoyed her work and that she was invested in history, and it half made me want to ditch my life to go work as a historian in some remote old house somewhere. Her feelings that she was out of place were so realistic - both when she talked about her adopted family, and when she talked about trying to keep herself controlled so she didn't end up like her birth mother.
Lamb was absolutely my favourite character, as was his mother. He was clearly a giant softie despite his no-nonsense Scottish demeanour, and it was obvious he cared for Emmie like a granddaughter after only knowing her for a couple of months. His mother was a nosy old bag but also very caring, in that way that only old women can be, and the fact that she was a ghost only helped her to be more nosy.
The archaeology team also had realistic depth to them - they all felt like individuals, with their own stuff going on, (the revelation from Adam at the end about seeing his friend die was a poignant moment I didn't expect considering his behaviour the rest of the time), but this is where my problems began with this book.
Emmie is Canadian, and so is the author, so that voice feels very natural and realistic throughout the book. Lamb is Scottish, and the dig team are a mixture of Yorkshire, Cockney, Dutch, and Texan, and the author insisted on trying to write in their accents - the Cockney pair spoke like they had been dragged out of Oliver Twist, and the Yorkshireman used the most stereotypical language I've ever come across. Everything Lady Rotherham said felt like it was being said by the Queen it was so proper, and if Lamb actually spoke the way his dialogue was written, I think he'd be kicked out of Scotland. Mentioning the accents would have been fine, but trying to switch up the style of dialogue for each one was just jarring. Throw in the occasional slang word, but there was no need to try and write in their accents.
Emmie also falls apart so quickly in this book. She starts of being carefully ordered and put together, because that's how she maintains control and stops herself becoming an addict like her birth mother, but this vanishes the moment she becomes aware of the ghost of the Highlander. Suddenly her job - which she was so proud of and enjoyed - falls to the wayside, and she spends so much of her time just thinking about this ghost who she's not actually seen at this point, she's just felt his presence. The fact that she gets told that it's her destiny to be at this house only encourages this - with absolutely no evidence for this beyond 'not fitting in with her adopted family'. Her entire focus and goals changes to simply solving the highlander's murder, because she's basically being stalked by a ghost, and because he doesn't like other people (because he's 'connected' to her for some unexplained reason).
Up until the final quarter, the book was okay - not winning any literary prizes, but it was a decent if slightly amateur read. The final quarter suddenly turns into an Outlander fanfiction, and not even a good one. Emmie has a mental break trying to solve the murder, which nobody else seems to notice, and after refusing to leave everything and go into the past with her highlander, she spends the night roaming around the highlands before being found by search and rescue and being taken to hospital. She then has everyone she knows caring for her and worrying about her while she grieves over making the wrong choice and not ditching everything and everyone she's ever known, goes back to the house and then gets offered the same chance again and takes it this time, because apparently her destiny was to always go back into the past and save this man?
We then cut to one year later, where it's revealed that Emmie going back did indeed save the highlander (who's name we don't even learn until over halfway through the book!) and changed the present - and that's the end of the book!
I finished the book and immediately felt annoyed at everything I'd read in that final quarter, and even while writing this review, I can't decide what rating to give it, because I did enjoy most of the story. At least if the whole thing sucked then I could justify it getting a 1 or a 2, but I don't think it deserves that low a score, and I don't think it deserves to be as high as a 3. A 2.5 rounded down to 2, and I think it should be grateful it's not worse.
It was her romance with the ghost of a highlander, who she then follows into the past and leaves behind her normal life to be with - that caused me some issues.
The first three quarters of the book was really good, I couldn't put it down.
Emmie was a well-rounded and pleasant young woman, even with all her neuroses controlling her behaviour half the time. I really believed that she enjoyed her work and that she was invested in history, and it half made me want to ditch my life to go work as a historian in some remote old house somewhere. Her feelings that she was out of place were so realistic - both when she talked about her adopted family, and when she talked about trying to keep herself controlled so she didn't end up like her birth mother.
Lamb was absolutely my favourite character, as was his mother. He was clearly a giant softie despite his no-nonsense Scottish demeanour, and it was obvious he cared for Emmie like a granddaughter after only knowing her for a couple of months. His mother was a nosy old bag but also very caring, in that way that only old women can be, and the fact that she was a ghost only helped her to be more nosy.
The archaeology team also had realistic depth to them - they all felt like individuals, with their own stuff going on, (the revelation from Adam at the end about seeing his friend die was a poignant moment I didn't expect considering his behaviour the rest of the time), but this is where my problems began with this book.
Emmie is Canadian, and so is the author, so that voice feels very natural and realistic throughout the book. Lamb is Scottish, and the dig team are a mixture of Yorkshire, Cockney, Dutch, and Texan, and the author insisted on trying to write in their accents - the Cockney pair spoke like they had been dragged out of Oliver Twist, and the Yorkshireman used the most stereotypical language I've ever come across. Everything Lady Rotherham said felt like it was being said by the Queen it was so proper, and if Lamb actually spoke the way his dialogue was written, I think he'd be kicked out of Scotland. Mentioning the accents would have been fine, but trying to switch up the style of dialogue for each one was just jarring. Throw in the occasional slang word, but there was no need to try and write in their accents.
Emmie also falls apart so quickly in this book. She starts of being carefully ordered and put together, because that's how she maintains control and stops herself becoming an addict like her birth mother, but this vanishes the moment she becomes aware of the ghost of the Highlander. Suddenly her job - which she was so proud of and enjoyed - falls to the wayside, and she spends so much of her time just thinking about this ghost who she's not actually seen at this point, she's just felt his presence. The fact that she gets told that it's her destiny to be at this house only encourages this - with absolutely no evidence for this beyond 'not fitting in with her adopted family'. Her entire focus and goals changes to simply solving the highlander's murder, because she's basically being stalked by a ghost, and because he doesn't like other people (because he's 'connected' to her for some unexplained reason).
Up until the final quarter, the book was okay - not winning any literary prizes, but it was a decent if slightly amateur read. The final quarter suddenly turns into an Outlander fanfiction, and not even a good one. Emmie has a mental break trying to solve the murder, which nobody else seems to notice, and after refusing to leave everything and go into the past with her highlander, she spends the night roaming around the highlands before being found by search and rescue and being taken to hospital. She then has everyone she knows caring for her and worrying about her while she grieves over making the wrong choice and not ditching everything and everyone she's ever known, goes back to the house and then gets offered the same chance again and takes it this time, because apparently her destiny was to always go back into the past and save this man?
We then cut to one year later, where it's revealed that Emmie going back did indeed save the highlander (who's name we don't even learn until over halfway through the book!) and changed the present - and that's the end of the book!
I finished the book and immediately felt annoyed at everything I'd read in that final quarter, and even while writing this review, I can't decide what rating to give it, because I did enjoy most of the story. At least if the whole thing sucked then I could justify it getting a 1 or a 2, but I don't think it deserves that low a score, and I don't think it deserves to be as high as a 3. A 2.5 rounded down to 2, and I think it should be grateful it's not worse.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2024
Absolutely loved this book and couldn’t put it down all weekend. Having not read this author before, I didn’t know about (or particularly like) the romance portions, but that didn’t take away from how much I loved the ghost story, the history, and the setting. One of those books where the end didn’t matter as much because the journey along the way was so worth it alone.
August 21, 2021
Surprised!
Truly an enjoyable mystery which made it hard to put the book down. Keeps you interested and anxious to know how it will end. Not what I thought which makes it even better.
Truly an enjoyable mystery which made it hard to put the book down. Keeps you interested and anxious to know how it will end. Not what I thought which makes it even better.
April 7, 2022
This book came up when I searched for Gothic Romance and I don't think it quite fit that genre. There were a couple of scenes with mist that could have been seen as Gothic but the place itself didn't give that ambience. And the romance part was seriously lacking as well although it was a kind of love story.
Frankly, the book dragged for the first half and then when the plot picked up it kind of meandered all over the place. I'm all for not giving everything away and unraveling the plot slowly but a lot of it just seemed pointless.
While, I think the ending did work within the narrative it was not really satisfying. If you think of Emmie's family and friends then the ending is almost tramautizing despite the somewhat rushed happily-ever-after ending for the hero and heroine. The last chapter kind of sums up (told by another character) and confirms basically where you think the hero and heroine end up but being told third-hand isn't compelling.
It also was frustrating that her supposed quest to find out why and how the hero died apparently was pointless -- we follow her around as she unravels the mystery (which is great to finally know at some point) but knowing doesn't change anything. Unraveling the mystery was kind of laborious at times - especially with the clan histories and feuds that were sometimes repetitive and at others not straightforward enough.
In some ways the descriptions were well done - you felt Emmie's love of history and fascination and shared her love of the richness of Tullybrae's history and that of the surrounding area. However, some of the descriptions were just too much about too many ordinary things - sometimes it read like a travel guide for a local eatery or favorite Scottish dishes - and the focus on Emmie's wardrobe was a bit much. There also were a lot of typos and grammatical errors that detracted from the narrative.
I wish some of that detailed descriptions had been focused on the relationship of the hero and heroine. They kiss once. He never speaks to her except to say "save me." (Although I did like how "Save me" didn't end up meaning what Emmie thought it meant initially). We don't get much of his personality except from a few memories of his. Her feelings and her angst and her turmoil over what to do came across clearly and you felt right along with her the frustration and pain and the pull toward Cael but it just wasn't enough for me to think they were in love - especially on his end.
Yes you're supposed to suspend disbelief in a ghost story but then the "rules" defined by the author should make sense. In this case, they often don't or we don't get an explanation. How come the older woman ghost can tell Emmie about her mother but can't tell her anything about Cael? Why can some ghosts talk to her but Cael doesn't or can't except to say "Save me"?
So clearly I have some very conflicted feelings about this book, which I felt throughout most of the narrative but I think ultimately I felt disappointed at the missed opportunities in this story.
Frankly, the book dragged for the first half and then when the plot picked up it kind of meandered all over the place. I'm all for not giving everything away and unraveling the plot slowly but a lot of it just seemed pointless.
While, I think the ending did work within the narrative it was not really satisfying. If you think of Emmie's family and friends then the ending is almost tramautizing despite the somewhat rushed happily-ever-after ending for the hero and heroine. The last chapter kind of sums up (told by another character) and confirms basically where you think the hero and heroine end up but being told third-hand isn't compelling.
It also was frustrating that her supposed quest to find out why and how the hero died apparently was pointless -- we follow her around as she unravels the mystery (which is great to finally know at some point) but knowing doesn't change anything. Unraveling the mystery was kind of laborious at times - especially with the clan histories and feuds that were sometimes repetitive and at others not straightforward enough.
In some ways the descriptions were well done - you felt Emmie's love of history and fascination and shared her love of the richness of Tullybrae's history and that of the surrounding area. However, some of the descriptions were just too much about too many ordinary things - sometimes it read like a travel guide for a local eatery or favorite Scottish dishes - and the focus on Emmie's wardrobe was a bit much. There also were a lot of typos and grammatical errors that detracted from the narrative.
I wish some of that detailed descriptions had been focused on the relationship of the hero and heroine. They kiss once. He never speaks to her except to say "save me." (Although I did like how "Save me" didn't end up meaning what Emmie thought it meant initially). We don't get much of his personality except from a few memories of his. Her feelings and her angst and her turmoil over what to do came across clearly and you felt right along with her the frustration and pain and the pull toward Cael but it just wasn't enough for me to think they were in love - especially on his end.
Yes you're supposed to suspend disbelief in a ghost story but then the "rules" defined by the author should make sense. In this case, they often don't or we don't get an explanation. How come the older woman ghost can tell Emmie about her mother but can't tell her anything about Cael? Why can some ghosts talk to her but Cael doesn't or can't except to say "Save me"?
So clearly I have some very conflicted feelings about this book, which I felt throughout most of the narrative but I think ultimately I felt disappointed at the missed opportunities in this story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2021
I am on a ghost story marathon! Just finished 4 books from Cheryl Bradshaw, the Addison Lockhart series. And while waiting for book 5, I looked for another good ghost story to keep me preoccupied and this book came up in the search.
I love me a historical based novel, that is why I was attracted to this book right away after reading the blurb. And I myself am a frustrated curator, I love old things!
The book is nicely written, it has an easy flow and I did not have a hard time losing myself in it. I could relate to our heroine, Emmie. I understood how she carefully chose what to wear each time, careful with her makeup, how her mind works, her wit, her love of libraries and cataloguing. I found her totally relatable. Until I didn't. I was super disappointed with how this ended. Disappointed with Emmie with her final decision. I thought she was smarter than that, you know? But apparently she wasn't. The huge disappointment at the end for me ruined the entire experience, hence the 3 star rating. But I liked the other book by this author called The Haunting of Tess so I won't say that this would be the last book that I will read by her. I will still check out the other books and hope that the heroine will be smarter than Emmie.
I love me a historical based novel, that is why I was attracted to this book right away after reading the blurb. And I myself am a frustrated curator, I love old things!
The book is nicely written, it has an easy flow and I did not have a hard time losing myself in it. I could relate to our heroine, Emmie. I understood how she carefully chose what to wear each time, careful with her makeup, how her mind works, her wit, her love of libraries and cataloguing. I found her totally relatable. Until I didn't. I was super disappointed with how this ended. Disappointed with Emmie with her final decision. I thought she was smarter than that, you know? But apparently she wasn't. The huge disappointment at the end for me ruined the entire experience, hence the 3 star rating. But I liked the other book by this author called The Haunting of Tess so I won't say that this would be the last book that I will read by her. I will still check out the other books and hope that the heroine will be smarter than Emmie.
December 18, 2017
OMG! !!
Yes yes yes! Get this book! I cannot stop reading I'm pretty sure I neglected my entire house while I was reading this book. Yes there were a few I think only a handful of grammatical error such as instead of saying she it was typed as he little insignificant things like that I did not see any duplicating of pages as some of the reviews of stated. Okay so there are going to be spoilers do not read passes point if you do not want it to be spoiled.
I liked all the detail that they went into about the house I felt like I was there I felt like I was turning every Corridor with eEm. The only thing that I would have loved to seen added to this book was to have her Highlander speak he only spoke to words the entire book she cannot communicate with him and I would have loved to see more interaction between em and her Highlander I also would have loved to seen his view of the story you don't get to see any of his view but the author did portray his feelings to a T! So without him saying a word you knew exactly how I felt. The ending of the book was amazing too bad it didn't continue with the other side! I highly recommend it
Yes yes yes! Get this book! I cannot stop reading I'm pretty sure I neglected my entire house while I was reading this book. Yes there were a few I think only a handful of grammatical error such as instead of saying she it was typed as he little insignificant things like that I did not see any duplicating of pages as some of the reviews of stated. Okay so there are going to be spoilers do not read passes point if you do not want it to be spoiled.
I liked all the detail that they went into about the house I felt like I was there I felt like I was turning every Corridor with eEm. The only thing that I would have loved to seen added to this book was to have her Highlander speak he only spoke to words the entire book she cannot communicate with him and I would have loved to see more interaction between em and her Highlander I also would have loved to seen his view of the story you don't get to see any of his view but the author did portray his feelings to a T! So without him saying a word you knew exactly how I felt. The ending of the book was amazing too bad it didn't continue with the other side! I highly recommend it
November 24, 2023
There were some good parts to the book making me think it was going somewhere good and kept me going...but the main chick is crazy...the way she thinks is just ridiculous, unreasonable...the blame she places on others, on herself...the concept of falling in love with a ghost...could have been better written...like this crappy review LOL I was just disappointed in how it played out. The concept and the main characters responses were just...dumb.
October 19, 2016
This is a delightful haunted house novel, rich in detail. i'm sure fans of Diana Gabaldon would enjoy it, what with the Scottish history.
July 17, 2017
Hard to follow.
Plot was rather confusing for me. Descriptions at times were extremely lengthy and not necessary. Very different ending than I expected.
Plot was rather confusing for me. Descriptions at times were extremely lengthy and not necessary. Very different ending than I expected.
August 15, 2022
lacks development
Truly there’s no development between Emmie & the Highlander. It’s vague and in the end was predictable and boring… not a fan.
Truly there’s no development between Emmie & the Highlander. It’s vague and in the end was predictable and boring… not a fan.
April 7, 2018
Emmie Tunstall has been hired as a curator at Tullybrae House, a 300 year old manor, situated in the Scottish Highlands. Emmie finds herself enchanted with Tullybrae House as well as it’s loyal butler, Lamb, who comes to see her as the granddaughter he never had.
Emmie begins to realise that she and Lamb are not the only residents at Tullybrae House. It is also home to the ghost of a little girl, a Countess and even Lamb’s late mother. It is the presence of the Highlander, however, that Emmie senses more keenly. Little is known about his clan, his name or the manner of his death. Yet his desperate pleas for Emmie to save him, spur her to attempt solve his mystery. During her research, Emmie uncovers a tragedy resulting from a brutal betrayal and wrongful death. Can she save the Highlander from his fate?
From the offset I found this a delightful engaging read. I loved the setting as I’m a huge fan of all things Scotland as well as it’s rich history. The superb use of language to describe the scenery captivated me in such a way that I felt as though I was there.
There was some wonderful character development throughout. I loved the endearing rapport between Emmie and Lamb. The latter and his mother in particular made an impression on me. I loved their Scottish brogue.
Fans of time travel, ghosts stories and unconventional love stories will gobble this up. This was my first introduction to this author and she didn’t disappoint. I look forward to reading her other works.
Emmie begins to realise that she and Lamb are not the only residents at Tullybrae House. It is also home to the ghost of a little girl, a Countess and even Lamb’s late mother. It is the presence of the Highlander, however, that Emmie senses more keenly. Little is known about his clan, his name or the manner of his death. Yet his desperate pleas for Emmie to save him, spur her to attempt solve his mystery. During her research, Emmie uncovers a tragedy resulting from a brutal betrayal and wrongful death. Can she save the Highlander from his fate?
From the offset I found this a delightful engaging read. I loved the setting as I’m a huge fan of all things Scotland as well as it’s rich history. The superb use of language to describe the scenery captivated me in such a way that I felt as though I was there.
There was some wonderful character development throughout. I loved the endearing rapport between Emmie and Lamb. The latter and his mother in particular made an impression on me. I loved their Scottish brogue.
Fans of time travel, ghosts stories and unconventional love stories will gobble this up. This was my first introduction to this author and she didn’t disappoint. I look forward to reading her other works.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2023
This is the kind of book that you ponder for a long time after reading it. As Emmie, the main character says, everything leads you to your destiny. We wouldn't be who we are or take the path that we took through our lives if destiny didn't send us there.
So- I really loved this book! Emmie Tunstall was hired to catalogue all of the belongings in 300 year-old Tullybrae House. It's a mutual benefit since the owner who inherited it can't afford to pay an experienced curator and Emmie, at the start of a career, has no experience to get a well-paying job. The house is a large mansion in the Scottish Highlands- and it has ghosts! The ghosts are pretty innocuous: a countess, a young girl child, the mother of the old butler, Lamb. But slowly Emmie begins to feel the presence of a young Scottish Highlander, killed centuries earlier, who desperately whispers to her "Save me". As the Highlander takes over all of her senses, Emmie struggles to learn anything at all about this man who has been lost to history. All she knows is his name Cael. The craggy romantic Scottish Highlands, ghosts, mystery, some paranormal, and time travel- who wouldn't love this book?
So- I really loved this book! Emmie Tunstall was hired to catalogue all of the belongings in 300 year-old Tullybrae House. It's a mutual benefit since the owner who inherited it can't afford to pay an experienced curator and Emmie, at the start of a career, has no experience to get a well-paying job. The house is a large mansion in the Scottish Highlands- and it has ghosts! The ghosts are pretty innocuous: a countess, a young girl child, the mother of the old butler, Lamb. But slowly Emmie begins to feel the presence of a young Scottish Highlander, killed centuries earlier, who desperately whispers to her "Save me". As the Highlander takes over all of her senses, Emmie struggles to learn anything at all about this man who has been lost to history. All she knows is his name Cael. The craggy romantic Scottish Highlands, ghosts, mystery, some paranormal, and time travel- who wouldn't love this book?
January 11, 2023
The Ghosts of Tullybrae House by Veronica Bale was an enjoyable read that took me away from my domestic duties after the holidays. I appreciated the imagery and escapism of Scotland and the idea that one could obtain a fabulous job far from home and not have time limits on when your work needed to be accomplished.
My favorite character in the story was Tullybrae House, as in real life a country manor like that would be a time capsule and in stories like this, a kaleidoscope of ghostly visits. Lamb's mother was wonderful as the matronly presence that holds things together.
At the center of this story is the haunting and romantic ideal of true love, and destiny. There were a few people searching for the meaning in their lives and that was the most relatable.
There were some parts in the story that felt a bit extended, but all in all this was a satisfying women's fiction story with a lovely dose of paranormal suspense and all the gorgeous scenery that one expects from a story set in the Scottish Highlands.
My favorite character in the story was Tullybrae House, as in real life a country manor like that would be a time capsule and in stories like this, a kaleidoscope of ghostly visits. Lamb's mother was wonderful as the matronly presence that holds things together.
At the center of this story is the haunting and romantic ideal of true love, and destiny. There were a few people searching for the meaning in their lives and that was the most relatable.
There were some parts in the story that felt a bit extended, but all in all this was a satisfying women's fiction story with a lovely dose of paranormal suspense and all the gorgeous scenery that one expects from a story set in the Scottish Highlands.
May 22, 2017
Historical
This book is full of characters, both earthy and ghostly. Sorta like Lynn Kurland mixed with a touch of Nora Roberts. I really liked it. It was extremely well written with no annoying misspellings or glaring grammatical errors. Kudos to the editor!
You will get pulled into the story and enjoy the ghosts that inhabit Tullybae Manor. The only live inhabitant Lamb the butler is in his octogenarian years and even as Emmie grows fond of him you will too. The longer Emmie serves as curator of the manor, the more she is drawn into saving the Highlander from the fate that befell him in the past. Time travel, hauntings, archeological digs, something here for everyone. Good bread
This book is full of characters, both earthy and ghostly. Sorta like Lynn Kurland mixed with a touch of Nora Roberts. I really liked it. It was extremely well written with no annoying misspellings or glaring grammatical errors. Kudos to the editor!
You will get pulled into the story and enjoy the ghosts that inhabit Tullybae Manor. The only live inhabitant Lamb the butler is in his octogenarian years and even as Emmie grows fond of him you will too. The longer Emmie serves as curator of the manor, the more she is drawn into saving the Highlander from the fate that befell him in the past. Time travel, hauntings, archeological digs, something here for everyone. Good bread
October 26, 2017
Light reading
I must admit to being caught up in this story but at the same time the idea of falling in love with a ghost is pretty silly. Most annoying was the american vocabulary which slipped in incongruously and some bad research... I don't think larks sit on window sills and you can't plug electrical appliances into bathrooms, especially not in old Scottish mansions. The abbreviation for university is Uni not U.... and an excavator is a large digging machine not a person working on an archaeological dig. I could go on and it sounds petty but it undermined the work. Having said all that I enjoyed it!
I must admit to being caught up in this story but at the same time the idea of falling in love with a ghost is pretty silly. Most annoying was the american vocabulary which slipped in incongruously and some bad research... I don't think larks sit on window sills and you can't plug electrical appliances into bathrooms, especially not in old Scottish mansions. The abbreviation for university is Uni not U.... and an excavator is a large digging machine not a person working on an archaeological dig. I could go on and it sounds petty but it undermined the work. Having said all that I enjoyed it!
April 4, 2018
Absolutely loved it!!!
I found this book by chance as a suggested read through Kindle. I read the reviews and it looked interesting. What I found was a page turning book that I could not put down until I finished! What an amazing story! Such beautiful description of the house, Scottland, the people... it made me feel as if I was really there! Filled with mystery, a romance that transcends time, history and a jaw dropping end!! What an ending!! Oh I highly recommend this book!
I found this book by chance as a suggested read through Kindle. I read the reviews and it looked interesting. What I found was a page turning book that I could not put down until I finished! What an amazing story! Such beautiful description of the house, Scottland, the people... it made me feel as if I was really there! Filled with mystery, a romance that transcends time, history and a jaw dropping end!! What an ending!! Oh I highly recommend this book!
June 28, 2019
The first half was awesome. It kept me very engaged in the story. The second half...ugh. The story fell flat. It felt forced. The main character was hard to care about. She seemed very selfish and downright uncaring to anyone who cared about her. Most of her whining about her friends and mother issues annoyed me. It got weird that the only thing she responded to was the presence of H. Overall, I wish the author had spent more time developing E. into a likeable and relatable person. I also wish the second half was as good as the first half.
April 1, 2020
I agree with most reviews. I am so sorry I paid for this book. Most of it was a drag and a few times I went to get a refund but didn't There was no real romantic connection at all that I could feel. I felt nothing between these two. Emmie's mother could have been cut out all together. What part did she even have in the story??? All the modern stuff could have been left out and the writer might have written a better story if she stuck with writing a medieval story , about the clans, etc. I do not recommend this. Sorry I even gave it a three.
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