Twenty-eight year old Molly is a predictable, no surprises, plan ahead kind of girl, and the last person who should answer the ad for a teaching job on the remote Scottish island of Lilliebrae. She's never been the type of adventurous spirit that would even consider such a radical change. And truthfully, she only took the job after her life in America went from bad to worse.
From day one on the island, Molly's sure she's not meant to stay. When a rugged journeyman arrives, things get even more complicated and she's pushed even further outside her comfort zone. With his help, Molly works on finding the beauty of perhaps.
In this snapshot of modern day Scotland, Eryn Marie weaves one woman's journey of self discovery with Scottish tradition and a sprinkling of windswept love.
I'm not sure how this ended up on my kindle back in 2017, probably a freebie ~ but I really enjoyed it!!!!! Definitely NOT my typical romance read. This was sweet, savory, slow and barely a kiss to be had in detail, LOL! Molly and Gates were so sweet and I enjoyed their story together, all the ups and downs - even though the finding ones self storyline doesn't always work for me, this one had great elements of growth and learning.
This is the type of book I would put into the mood category - meaning the right time and place reading this takes it to a great level!!! I love reading books like this in the summer when it feels warm and lazy and you want something scenic and sweet!! I absolutely loved the setting in Scotland and even though I haven't been to that country...spending time in Northern Ireland gave me just enough flavor to put myself right back there and I could see, breathe and feel it all. Which just makes the story so much better!!! And if you've been through a Jaime Fraser book then you fall right back in love with that brogue!!!!
Molly is a predictable, no surprises, plan ahead kind of girl, and the last person who should answer the ad for a teaching job on the remote Scottish island of Lilliebrae. She’s never been the type of adventurous spirit that would even consider such a radical change. And truthfully, she only took the job after her life in America went from bad to worse.
From day one on the island, Molly’s sure she’s not meant to stay. When a rugged journeyman arrives, things get even more complicated and she’s pushed even further outside her comfort zone. With his help, Molly works on finding the beauty of perhaps.
In this snapshot of modern day Scotland, Eryn Scott weaves one woman’s journey of self discovery with Scottish tradition and a sprinkling of windswept love.
The Beauty of Perhaps, by Eryn Scott, is a book about the journey of a woman trying to find herself and building relationships through the world. It’s my first book by this author and though I found the story predicable, it’s by no means lacking in fun and sincerity and a bit of a Scottish flavor. I think that’s what got me and made me really enjoy this book. I liked Molly (the main character) enough, but it’s the beautiful descriptions of the Scottish countryside, the picture of Lilliebrae and its inhabitants, all the adventures she finds there, what brings this story to life and make listening to it a unique experience. Elizabeth Klett has a great range of voices for male and female characters, making all characters very easily identifiable and real in their own way, and her Scottish brogue was simply a relish to listen to. She was outstanding with the delivery of the story, improving the listener experience.
I was given a copy of the audio book in exchange of an honest review and I would recommend it to everyone, but specially fans of a good Scottish story.
The Beauty of Perhaps by Eryn Scott was a good read. Molly's life has completely changed recently and not for the better. She answers an ad for a teaching job on the Scottish island of Lilliebrae. She gets the job and life starts to slowly look better. This is a great read that I think everyone will love.
*I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review*
2.5-3 stars. The narrator was great - I loved the different inflections and accents for the different characters. I just could not get into the story. It was cute and sweet, but I needed a little more.... More angst? More "meat". Just more.
"I would give this story 10 stars if I could" Where does The Beauty of Perhaps rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far? This is one of my favorite audiobooks I've ever listened to this year. The story line while some might say predictable it was one of the best stories I've read this year. While it was a romance it was more of a woman finding who she was from who she thought she was.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Beauty of Perhaps? When Molly released she could paint and finally was able to do get a painting done
What about Elizabeth Klett’s performance did you like? I loved how she brought the Scottish language and sounds to life. This is one of the only times I've said that the audio version is much better than the print or ebook version. The audio version brings the Scottish language to life so much better than if you are reading it.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you? I just feel in love with this book from the beginning. There was so many times I was moved by this story its hard to pick just one.
Any additional comments? I was gifted a copy of this book by the author but that in no way effected my review as I would have happily given a credit to purchase this book. I feel in love so much I've already purchases the ebook version. This is a story well worth your time
I am not a big fan of romance novels but this caught my eye because it was set in Scotland. I really liked this book being read to me. I am not sure it would have had the same effect on me if I had just read it. Elizabeth Klett did a wonderful job of narrating this book. I will be looking for more books narrated by her. The story was good don't get me wrong. The romance part was very well done and not over the top like some romance novels can be. I enjoyed the characters and watching how they evolved too. I am glad I listened to this book and now I really want to visit Scotland. I received this audiobook from AudioBook Boom with the understanding that I would leave an honest review.
What a great experience reading The Beauty of Perhaps was for me. The author was so eloquently descriptive; one could see the green of the foliage, hear the pounding of the sea, and smell the fresh sea air. Even the title is dreamy..... Molly has always been a planner: there is not a bit of spontaneity in her makeup. However, a series of events; her Gran's death, thus losing Molly's home, her younger sister happily marrying, and Molly's boyfriend Craig, of way too many wasted years, asking her to marry him prompts her to decide to take a teaching job on a tiny remote island in Scotland. This is Molly's story of transporting herself to the island, engaging the islanders and their 6 children in the classroom, doing without the amenities of Seattle, and focusing on the delights of opening oneself to new adventures, experiences, and friendships. She starts painting again, as she was admonished by another artist "that mistakes are simply chances to get better." She learns that flying by the seat of your pants can be more bountiful and surprising than planning every little detail. As I was reading the book on my kindle, I followed her travels on my tablet's Goggle maps. I found this book delightful, beautiful and fun! I received an ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion of this book.
Molly (an American) answers an ad to teach school on a remote Scottish island. She struggles with the culture, the ruggedness, the isolation. But she learns a lot about herself, and, of course, falls in love. I liked it for a light read. The characters and the location are well drawn.
The title alone of The Beauty of Perhaps made me want to read the book. It speaks to possiblity and new adventures.
The story centers on Molly who makes a huge and impulsive change by moving to teach on the island of Lilliebrae in Scotland when her life in Seattle seems to be crumbling.
What could be a predicable story turns into a funny and sweet story of self discovery, love, and finding happiness in unexpected places.
The townsfolk of Lilliebrae are welcoming and warm and Gates the local jack-of-all-trades catches Molly's eye. I really enjoyed his and Molly's relationship. It felt very true to life and I could understand Molly's struggles and feelings as they grew closer.
I think, though, my favorite part of the book was the beautiful descriptions of the Scottish countryside. It brought the whole story to life and made me feel like I was there.
Definitely a five star book and I am looking forward to reading the other books by Eryn!
While it was a bit difficult to understand some of the language at times, I thought this book was absolutely wonderful! It was super cute and just a lovely read. Móran taing, Eryn!
This is an absolutely beautifully written story of a woman's journey to self-discovery. Molly Baker is so determined to be the opposite of her impulsive mother that she plans every detail of her life. She has a predictable teaching job and a predictable boyfriend. When her boyfriend ends their relationship and her sister confronts her about her wasted life, Molly makes an impulsive decision and accepts a teaching job on the remote Scottish island of Lilliebrae.
The moment she steps off the boat onto the island, Molly begins to doubt herself. She thinks it's impossible to give up her plans and simply experience life. Then Gates arrives, a man her polar opposite, taking odd carpentry jobs and unable to settle in one place. Against her will, Molly loses her heart to him. But how can such different people make a relationship work?
I enjoyed every moment of this book. The writing was so detailed and descriptive I felt like I'd been picked up and plunked down in the middle of the Scottish highlands. I wanted to stay there drinking in the beauty forever. The plot was fairly drama free, all the angst arose from Molly's own insecurities and not from external forces, but the story is worth a listen just for its ability to transport the reader to Scotland.
The characters were interesting, especially the secondary characters like Alan. Molly's insecurities could be frustrating, and I felt sorry for the children she was supposed to be teaching. But by the end, I was cheering her on as she finally came into her own. Gates was a dream, he had a magnetic charm visible through the pages. I smiled through the entire chapter when he and Molly met.
There are books that are better experienced in audio form, and this is one of them. Elizabeth Klett's narration was outstanding, and that word isn't used lightly. Her accents were perfection, and made the entire performance a pleasure. I received a copy of the audiobook, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review. I do plan on re-listening to this book soon.
Molly has her life together... Same dinner dates every week. Same boyfriend. Same job. Smooth and predictable. Until her boyfriend breaks up with her because she's boring. No boyfriend, no job, and nothing holding her back from trying out some impulsivity in her life. She gets accepted for a teaching job on the remote Scottish island Lilliebrae. Will she defy her predictable-loving nature or learn to accept some adventure and newness in her life?
This book felt like a coming of age for a middle-twenties protagonist - which I absolutely loved! Like a quarter-life crisis that happens post-college. It was so rewarding to watch Molly's growth as she changed throughout this book. There was as much self-growth for Molly as there was romance, which I appreciated. It wasn't just Molly going through growth, but also her romantic partner Gates. I was pleasantly surprised that both Molly and Gates were fleshed out and given depth as characters. They were each compelling and flawed in their own way.
I absolutely loved the setting. I was instantly transported to the island of Lilliebrae. I could see it in the picturesque views and feel it in the tone of the place and the way the local townsfolk talked and acted. At times the local brogue was a bit difficult to parse and it took me out of the story as I tried to interpret what the characters were saying.
I really enjoyed how unique each of the other minor characters was, especially all the children! This really added to the meatiness of the novel. Solid contemporary read.
5 stars! This book completely swept me away. I honestly did not expect to fall in love with it as much as I did, but The Beauty of Perhaps was such a comforting, heartwarming read, the kind that stays with you long after the last page.
Molly’s story felt so relatable, someone who lives by the rules, who always plans and avoids risks, suddenly taking a massive leap by moving to a tiny island in Scotland. I loved watching her slowly come out of her shell, reconnect with her creativity, and let life surprise her. The pacing felt just right, gentle, reflective, and full of emotional depth without ever dragging.
The island setting was pure magic. Eryn Marie’s writing brought every detail to life: the sea air, the cosy homes, the quiet, rugged beauty of Lilliebrae. It was like being wrapped in a soft blanket with a cup of tea, completely immersed. Gates was the perfect contrast to Molly, free-spirited, grounded, and quietly swoon-worthy. Their relationship felt tender and real, with just the right amount of tension and growth.
What I appreciated most was the book’s theme of embracing uncertainty, of learning that “perhaps” can be beautiful, not scary. It reminded me that stepping outside your comfort zone, even when it feels terrifying, can lead to the most meaningful chapters of your life.
A gorgeous, soul-soothing read. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys stories about personal growth, quiet romance, and finding joy in unexpected places.
WAY too much dialect in the dialogue. I can 'hear' a Scottish accent inn my mind without having to read sentences like this one:
'Thare I go again. Ye maist likely dinna catch heid nor tail o'that natter.' (I would have used 'agen' instead of again, and 'ner' instead of nor. ;) )
But it was this that made me nearly throw my kindle against the wall. "Oi! Dinna ye wanna see yer plaice?"
PLAICE?? WTF?
Plaice and place are homophones. They sound EXACTLY THE SAME!!!! What point was served in writing 'plaice' when Alan said 'place' ?? PLEASE don't tell me he was talking about fish- because there was no way he meant that. (although, to be honest, some of the spellings were pretty 'cod-dialect' ;) - emptie??
I gave up at that point. (or should I have written - in my own dialect - "Tha's med a reet cock-up theer, lass. an' I'll be after sendin' this poor wee bugger back naw.")
I genuinely wanted to like this book - the premise sounded great: a predictable, down-to-earth girl takes a teaching job half-way across the globe on a remote island in Scotland. There, she would learn as much about herself as her students would learn from her.
Unfortunately, after the first few chapters, I found myself slogging through the book, forcing myself to read through our heroine's multiple neuroses with a predictable story line. At times, I found myself hoping that Molly's love interest, Gates, just took off and found himself in the loves of someone much more secure and sure of herself.
Molly's naivete did nothing to help her seem more charming or lovely. Instead I tried to figure out if she was 18, 28, or however old the age in the book was.
The only redeeming part of this book was the fact that while reading it, I was reminded of my own trip to Scotland a few years ago. Everything else was a complete waste.
This did nothing to discourage my long-time fantasy of running away to Scotland to reinvent myself. A really nice romance but more than that, a story of redefining yourself from simply trying to not be your lousy parent, but finding out who you really are and learning to be flexible enough to see where life takes you.
Romance-wise, this was a bit of a rollercoaster but in the end, I got the ending I wanted. Had to bump it up to four stars because it's the first book in a long while that clearly had an editor and constant typos and weird punctuation didn't intrude on every page.
4.5 ⭐️ Beautifully written. My favorite thing about books is the feeling of being transported to that place and feeling as though I am involved in the story. I really enjoyed this world the author created. It was a breath of fresh air. I love that we get to see Molly grow and find herself. I would have liked to see some of Gate’s point of view since it is such a contrast to Molly’s growth. Overall, I really enjoyed this read and I would recommend.
This was a good book.Molly is so predictable that people tae it for granted.When she up and moves to a Scottish Island to be a teacher,no one expects her to stay,least of all Molly.Though a sappy love story ensues,it is tolerable.Elizabeth Kletts narration is perfect.“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”
This book is about personal baggage and running away from issues directly related to difficult parents. I did not find much joy in this book. I have it three stars only because I actually finished it. However, I am stressed out after finishing this book, because it created even more perhaps's in a very disappointing way.
This book was exactly what I needed right now. I appreciated so much that the main character was real. She was delusional about the boy she met a few moments ago, and imagining fake scenarios . She wasn't in denial that he could love her and choose her. She liked him and knew he liked her back—no him pining after her, and she being oblivious to it. I can't recommend this book enough.
This book was very different from my normal read. Molly is on a journey of self-discovery when she moves to a small island in Scotland. I loved that this book had a great romance but the focus was mostly on Molly figuring out who she was and what she wanted from life. I enjoyed that this book didn't just go through the motions and didn't follow the usual predictable patterns.
This book was so so good. I hadn’t expected to love it so much. The ending was exactly what I was hoping for too. It was hard to read the Scottish accents but other than that it was fantastic..
I enjoyed this book very much which is saying something when so many pages were missing!!! How does that happen? Surely someone must be responsible for seeing the book has been properly uploaded!!