📚THE STORY📚
Liam never quite fit in with his ultra wealthy family, but he’s close with his half brother Steven. Now he’s been tapped to serve as Steven’s best man for a destination wedding on a picturesque but rugged Scottish island. He wants to be supportive, but is also fighting to maintain his patience with his high maintenance sister in law, and to make the most of what the island has to offer.
Isla is a local photographer who’s spent her whole life on the small island as the daughter of sheep farmers. Though she loves her home and her photography business, she often finds herself wondering if there’s more to life, and chafing against her parents’ expectations. When she meets Liam, who’s just visiting, she starts seeing a future with him - though it’ll be just a dream if he returns to America after the wedding.
As Liam and Isla spend time together hiking to rugged locations, taking photos, and sampling the local cuisine, they both begin to fall for each other. But Isla is a local with deep roots, and Liam is a tourist. How will they make a life together without major change and sacrifice?
💕THE ROMANCE💕
Liam and Isla are just so cute together! We see a contrast in the other girl who’s vying for Liam’s affection, which shows that Isla is the exact type of person who’s right for him. Liam supports her photography and enjoys helping her work, and he’s enchanted by her island home.
Isla has some self esteem issues around looks, class, and background. Seeing how she works through these while getting to know Liam is sweet. The two are honest but lighthearted with each other, romantic without acting like kids in puppy love, and able to get serious without losing their flirtatious fun.
✝️FAITH ELEMENTS✝️
Because so much focus is on the gorgeous natural surroundings, characters reflect on the grandeur of God’s creation and their gratitude for it. As the romance progresses and the two have to figure out what choices they need to make based on their feelings for one another, they pray for guidance.
📝MY THOUGHTS📝
I did my study abroad in Ireland, and while I wasn’t lucky enough to enjoy a whirlwind foreign romance, I did fall in love with the cliffs, oceans, and greenery of the island. So getting to revisit a similar part of the world through this book was delightful.
I enjoyed how both characters were fully fleshed out, with their own conflicts and motives, but in a way that never stalled out or distracted from the romance. As an outdoorsy girl, I really enjoyed the depictions of the hikes. I also loved the way Liam supports Isla’s creative passions and career.