What do you think?
Rate this book
The Enchanted Highlands #5
Wild Scottish Beauty
“She was sunshine to my storm clouds, and I wondered how the two could ever coexist.”
A chance job offer in Scotland gives Willow Barlowe an excuse to escape the predictable life her overly controlling brother, Miles, wants for her. Excited to start fresh as a fashion intern for the local kiltmaker, Willow lands in small town Loren Brae brimming with sunshine and hope. Until she discovers that her new boss is none other than Ramsay McMillan, her brother’s best friend, and the grumpiest man this side of the Atlantic. Never mind the ghost Highland coo that haunts the castle, nor the supposedly bewitched waters of Loch Mirren, Willow refuses to work under Ramsay’s watchful eyes, certain he’s reporting back to her brother.
Ramsay Kilts is home to one of the last remaining traditional kiltmakers in Scotland, Ramsay McMillan. Loyalty, continuity, and tradition are important to Ramsay–as is his privacy. After a family betrayal, Ramsay keeps his walls up, running a veritable kilt empire with as minimum fuss as he can. Enter Willow Barlowe–his new intern, good friend’s little sister, and a veritable thorn in his side. If the thorn is made of sunshine and sparkles that is.
As the two clash, Ramsay must decide if loyalty is really more important than love?
A chance job offer in Scotland gives Willow Barlowe an excuse to escape the predictable life her overly controlling brother, Miles, wants for her. Excited to start fresh as a fashion intern for the local kiltmaker, Willow lands in small town Loren Brae brimming with sunshine and hope. Until she discovers that her new boss is none other than Ramsay McMillan, her brother’s best friend, and the grumpiest man this side of the Atlantic. Never mind the ghost Highland coo that haunts the castle, nor the supposedly bewitched waters of Loch Mirren, Willow refuses to work under Ramsay’s watchful eyes, certain he’s reporting back to her brother.
Ramsay Kilts is home to one of the last remaining traditional kiltmakers in Scotland, Ramsay McMillan. Loyalty, continuity, and tradition are important to Ramsay–as is his privacy. After a family betrayal, Ramsay keeps his walls up, running a veritable kilt empire with as minimum fuss as he can. Enter Willow Barlowe–his new intern, good friend’s little sister, and a veritable thorn in his side. If the thorn is made of sunshine and sparkles that is.
As the two clash, Ramsay must decide if loyalty is really more important than love?
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 2, 2024
2883 people are currently reading
1084 people want to read
About the author
Tricia O'Malley
74 books2,565 followersAs an award winning NY Times, USA Today, and WSJ bestselling author, Tricia O’Malley’s infectious joy in writing romance with an added dash of the magical has touched hearts around the world. With over three million books read, O’Malley’s stories have been translated into several languages and enjoy a devoted following. Tricia O’Malley is a native of Wisconsin, and departed the wintry tundra for warmer locales five years ago. She now lives in the Caribbean with her handsome Scotsman.
An avid scuba diver, Tricia spends much of her time underwater dreaming up new stories while photographing the beautiful sea life. Tricia loves fun vacation reads, believes in mermaids, and has a serious travel addiction. She discovers her inspiration on the go – and you’ll find her books set in beautiful settings with characters who deserve a happily-ever-after.
To see some of her underwater or island life photos visit her on Facebook, Instagram, or join her mailing list at www.triciaomalley.com
An avid scuba diver, Tricia spends much of her time underwater dreaming up new stories while photographing the beautiful sea life. Tricia loves fun vacation reads, believes in mermaids, and has a serious travel addiction. She discovers her inspiration on the go – and you’ll find her books set in beautiful settings with characters who deserve a happily-ever-after.
To see some of her underwater or island life photos visit her on Facebook, Instagram, or join her mailing list at www.triciaomalley.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 395 reviews
June 3, 2024
Wild Scottish Beauty by Tricia O’Malley
The Enchanted Highlands series #5. Contemporary paranormal romance. Can be read as a stand-alone but better as part of the series.
Willow Barlowe wants to be a designer and support herself. She wants out from under the controlling hands of her brother Miles. Willow accepts a job offer in the small town of Loren Brae, Scotland, that’s sound perfect. When she finds out that she’ll be working for Ramsay McMillan, she’s crushed, thinking it was all prearranged since Ramsay is a friend of her brothers. What’s worse, Ramsay doesn’t want her working for him.
But the town has a bit of a supernatural side, and Willow moving to Loren Brae is more fortuitous than expected. Maybe she’ll actually act on that crush she had for Ramsay all those years ago.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook copy of this book, narrated by Amy Landon and Will Watt, who do the full series. The two play off each other beautifully. Each does their own POV with voices for the alternate when needed. Ramsay lives in Scotland and has a heavy Scottish accent. Willow is from the States and has a mid west U.S. accent. I did have to slow down the speed a bit to 1.3 since the Scottish accent was heavy and not something I’m used to hearing. My usual is around 1.5. Great quality with no noticeable editing issues.
The performance is entertaining and amusing. A great way to read this story. You can’t hear hear the accents when reading it yourself so highly recommend an audiobook version for this series.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Lovewrite.
The Enchanted Highlands series #5. Contemporary paranormal romance. Can be read as a stand-alone but better as part of the series.
Willow Barlowe wants to be a designer and support herself. She wants out from under the controlling hands of her brother Miles. Willow accepts a job offer in the small town of Loren Brae, Scotland, that’s sound perfect. When she finds out that she’ll be working for Ramsay McMillan, she’s crushed, thinking it was all prearranged since Ramsay is a friend of her brothers. What’s worse, Ramsay doesn’t want her working for him.
But the town has a bit of a supernatural side, and Willow moving to Loren Brae is more fortuitous than expected. Maybe she’ll actually act on that crush she had for Ramsay all those years ago.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook copy of this book, narrated by Amy Landon and Will Watt, who do the full series. The two play off each other beautifully. Each does their own POV with voices for the alternate when needed. Ramsay lives in Scotland and has a heavy Scottish accent. Willow is from the States and has a mid west U.S. accent. I did have to slow down the speed a bit to 1.3 since the Scottish accent was heavy and not something I’m used to hearing. My usual is around 1.5. Great quality with no noticeable editing issues.
The performance is entertaining and amusing. A great way to read this story. You can’t hear hear the accents when reading it yourself so highly recommend an audiobook version for this series.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Lovewrite.
June 8, 2024
This was a solid 3.5 stars for me. I enjoyed the story. I liked listening to the narrators. I had a little bit of a hard time with the female narrator at times- she was a little tinny for me. But the male narrator had the Scottish accent down PAT. It was HOT LOL. This is noted as a standalone but being the series addict that I am, I do feel like I would have benefitted from reading the others. There is some history between the characters and the magic and the village that seemed to come in other books. I did like the brother's BF trope since that is a favorite of mine. I also seem to be reading a lot of grumpy x sunshine which is in this one as well. Throw in a beautiful town in Scotland, a castle, a kitten and magical powers and that is this book! The reason it wasn't a full 4 stars was the dragging of the plot in my opinion. There was a LOT of buildup- nothing happened between the two MCs until about 75% and then we find out there are these magical powers but nothing really happened with them. Maybe there is more information on them in previous books. I did like the banter and the other characters and went ahead and bought the other books to get a little more understanding. There is definitely a lot of potential here.
Willow has hit rock bottom- or so she thinks. She was swindled out of her savings for her boyfriend who also cheated on her with their assistant. She is now living with her brother and dad back in Minnesota trying to figure out how she can get into the fashion industry again. After some back and forth she ends up landing a job under a famous kiltmaker at a castle in Scotland. Little does she know that of all people, she is supposed to be working for Ramsey McMillan, her brother's BF and the same guy she has been crushing on since she was a teenager. It is ok though- she can put her big girl pants on and get over her school girl crush. But then he is so rude to her. Not welcoming. Not wanting to work with her. But then he helps her unexpectedly and she realizes there is a big softy under all of the grunting. So she makes it her mission to rain all of her sunshine down on him to get him to open up to their plan. While also ignoring the way her body responds to him or the fact that she has found out she has magical powers that involve talking to a kitten. Or how she is now imagining her life here in Loren Brae not just as a successful business partner but a true partner to Ramsey but the question is will he get over himself enough to tell her how he really feels? Or will he grunt and grumble his way out of his forever person?
Ramsey is perfectly happy running his business how he has been. He sees two clients a day. He does not allow walkins. He responds to emails when he can. He does all of this for the experience. He wants his clients to feel special in their kiltmaking process. But when Sophie, the owner of the castle where he works, pitches get him a summer intern, he caves and says yes. Little did he know that said intern is Willow Barlowe, his best mate;s little sister, who is in fact all grown up now and drop dead gorgeous. To avoid acknowledging the thoughts he is having, he pushes her away by giving her an attitude and not welcoming her. But that isn't really who he is. So when she needs help unexpectedly, he drops everything and is there for her. And slowly but surely something starts to bloom between them. He finds himself talking about things he hasn't talked about in a while to anyone. He finds himself absorbing her rainbows and sunshine and becoming addicted. But he keeps reminding himself who she is and that he can't go there, but when she announces that she is going on a date- all bets are off.
This was a VERY slow burn with a great payoff at the end. I love watching the grumps slowly unravel for their ladies. It is so fun and exhilarating to see how people can affect each other. There are elements of magic and fantasy in this but again they didn't pan out how I thought they would. I am hoping more will come of that in future books. I would recommend this one if you are looking for a cute, fast read/listen.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Willow has hit rock bottom- or so she thinks. She was swindled out of her savings for her boyfriend who also cheated on her with their assistant. She is now living with her brother and dad back in Minnesota trying to figure out how she can get into the fashion industry again. After some back and forth she ends up landing a job under a famous kiltmaker at a castle in Scotland. Little does she know that of all people, she is supposed to be working for Ramsey McMillan, her brother's BF and the same guy she has been crushing on since she was a teenager. It is ok though- she can put her big girl pants on and get over her school girl crush. But then he is so rude to her. Not welcoming. Not wanting to work with her. But then he helps her unexpectedly and she realizes there is a big softy under all of the grunting. So she makes it her mission to rain all of her sunshine down on him to get him to open up to their plan. While also ignoring the way her body responds to him or the fact that she has found out she has magical powers that involve talking to a kitten. Or how she is now imagining her life here in Loren Brae not just as a successful business partner but a true partner to Ramsey but the question is will he get over himself enough to tell her how he really feels? Or will he grunt and grumble his way out of his forever person?
Ramsey is perfectly happy running his business how he has been. He sees two clients a day. He does not allow walkins. He responds to emails when he can. He does all of this for the experience. He wants his clients to feel special in their kiltmaking process. But when Sophie, the owner of the castle where he works, pitches get him a summer intern, he caves and says yes. Little did he know that said intern is Willow Barlowe, his best mate;s little sister, who is in fact all grown up now and drop dead gorgeous. To avoid acknowledging the thoughts he is having, he pushes her away by giving her an attitude and not welcoming her. But that isn't really who he is. So when she needs help unexpectedly, he drops everything and is there for her. And slowly but surely something starts to bloom between them. He finds himself talking about things he hasn't talked about in a while to anyone. He finds himself absorbing her rainbows and sunshine and becoming addicted. But he keeps reminding himself who she is and that he can't go there, but when she announces that she is going on a date- all bets are off.
This was a VERY slow burn with a great payoff at the end. I love watching the grumps slowly unravel for their ladies. It is so fun and exhilarating to see how people can affect each other. There are elements of magic and fantasy in this but again they didn't pan out how I thought they would. I am hoping more will come of that in future books. I would recommend this one if you are looking for a cute, fast read/listen.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
October 16, 2024
***3.5***
This pairing was grumpy/sunshine and if I'm honest, it went too far into those tropes. I struggled with what a complete doormat Willow was - she was like a blissful idiot, even as people abused her. Because yes, Miles wasn't just a protective older brother, he was abusive. He made a point of belittling her, tearing her down, trying to make her feel like she was incapable of achieving her goals so she'd just give up and never leave home. When he went into her email to decline a job offer on her behalf ... that's it. I would have kicked his balls into his throat, and never spoken to him again. But Willow acts mad, but it's all bark. In her inner narrative she's trying to see things from his POV, understand that he's just trying to protect her, blah blah everything an abused person does to justify it. She would complain, but she wouldn't do anything to change the situation. She just takes it.
Miles is a hateful piece of shit, frankly, and the fact that everything remains status-quo with him at the end of the book is a big disappointment. At minimum, I needed someone serious, someone who means it - that's obviously not Willow - to tell him to fuck straight off and shove his high-handed patriarchal bullshit up his ass.
Then we have Ramsay, who while I have sympathy for, it only goes so far. He spews his shit all over everyone around him, and Also, his brother Andrew is over the top - he's like a cartoon villain. And why would he do what he did in the end, seriously? It makes no sense in any way.
I rounded it up to 4 stars for the review, because it ended strong, and because I again love the overall story and the cast of critters is adorable. Plus we got more Sophie in this one, and she's my favorite, so that was a plus.
This pairing was grumpy/sunshine and if I'm honest, it went too far into those tropes. I struggled with what a complete doormat Willow was - she was like a blissful idiot, even as people abused her. Because yes, Miles wasn't just a protective older brother, he was abusive. He made a point of belittling her, tearing her down, trying to make her feel like she was incapable of achieving her goals so she'd just give up and never leave home. When he went into her email to decline a job offer on her behalf ... that's it. I would have kicked his balls into his throat, and never spoken to him again. But Willow acts mad, but it's all bark. In her inner narrative she's trying to see things from his POV, understand that he's just trying to protect her, blah blah everything an abused person does to justify it. She would complain, but she wouldn't do anything to change the situation. She just takes it.
Miles is a hateful piece of shit, frankly, and the fact that everything remains status-quo with him at the end of the book is a big disappointment. At minimum, I needed someone serious, someone who means it - that's obviously not Willow - to tell him to fuck straight off and shove his high-handed patriarchal bullshit up his ass.
Then we have Ramsay, who while I have sympathy for, it only goes so far. He spews his shit all over everyone around him, and Also, his brother Andrew is over the top - he's like a cartoon villain. And why would he do what he did in the end, seriously? It makes no sense in any way.
I rounded it up to 4 stars for the review, because it ended strong, and because I again love the overall story and the cast of critters is adorable. Plus we got more Sophie in this one, and she's my favorite, so that was a plus.
April 24, 2024
《 ARC REVIEW 》
"If you’re going to fail, you might as well do it catastrophically. At least you’ll be the best at something."
☆☆☆☆☆
I just finished ARC reading the newest book in the Enchanted Highlands series by Tricia O'Malley last night, and oh my goodness, it was amazing! 😍 This one's called Wild Scottish Beauty, and this is book five in the series!
This one is my favorite so far! Don't get me wrong, I literally adore every single one of these books, but Willow and Ramsay take the cake. This banter is ABSOLUTE perfection 🫠
I was gasping, blushing, crying, and dying laughing throughout the whole book! Could not put it down!!
•
“I can certainly Google it, if it’s too much trouble.” I smiled sweetly at his snort of derision.
“Google.”
“It’s a popular internet search engine. You have been on the internet, I presume?”
•
This series follows the Order of Caledonia in beautiful Loren Brae, Scotland, and their epic adventures in the quirky little town. Amazing new magick, a slowwww burn, and our favorite ghost, Clyde the Highland coo, all come together in this amazing book!
I'd recommend this series if you love:
- Found family
- Slow burn romance
- Modern day magic
- Ghosts 👻
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Plus-size FMCs & rugged MMCs
- Crazy adventures
- Scotland 🏴
A huge thank you to @triciaomalleyauthor for the chance to read Wild Scottish Beauty! I have felt so honored to get the opportunity to ARC read every book so far, and I absolutely love this series!!! 💕
"If you’re going to fail, you might as well do it catastrophically. At least you’ll be the best at something."
☆☆☆☆☆
I just finished ARC reading the newest book in the Enchanted Highlands series by Tricia O'Malley last night, and oh my goodness, it was amazing! 😍 This one's called Wild Scottish Beauty, and this is book five in the series!
This one is my favorite so far! Don't get me wrong, I literally adore every single one of these books, but Willow and Ramsay take the cake. This banter is ABSOLUTE perfection 🫠
I was gasping, blushing, crying, and dying laughing throughout the whole book! Could not put it down!!
•
“I can certainly Google it, if it’s too much trouble.” I smiled sweetly at his snort of derision.
“Google.”
“It’s a popular internet search engine. You have been on the internet, I presume?”
•
This series follows the Order of Caledonia in beautiful Loren Brae, Scotland, and their epic adventures in the quirky little town. Amazing new magick, a slowwww burn, and our favorite ghost, Clyde the Highland coo, all come together in this amazing book!
I'd recommend this series if you love:
- Found family
- Slow burn romance
- Modern day magic
- Ghosts 👻
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Plus-size FMCs & rugged MMCs
- Crazy adventures
- Scotland 🏴
A huge thank you to @triciaomalleyauthor for the chance to read Wild Scottish Beauty! I have felt so honored to get the opportunity to ARC read every book so far, and I absolutely love this series!!! 💕
May 5, 2024
Every book in this series is amazing and I can’t ever stop reading them! If you enjoy found family, magic, curvy FMCs, grumpy/sunshine, and adorable little animals you should pick up this one.
Willow is a woman who has had it with men who try to control her life but at the same time don’t believe in her. When she is offered a job in Scotland to make a fashion line for a castle of course she takes it. What she doesn’t expect is to working with her brother’s grumpy best friend. Also she finds out she has magic…and the castle she is staying in has its own little ghost coo!
Willow is a woman who has had it with men who try to control her life but at the same time don’t believe in her. When she is offered a job in Scotland to make a fashion line for a castle of course she takes it. What she doesn’t expect is to working with her brother’s grumpy best friend. Also she finds out she has magic…and the castle she is staying in has its own little ghost coo!
August 19, 2024
Red flags
This 5th instalment follows Willows' story and her moving to Loren Brae to become part of the order of Caledonia.
I love Willows character. She is bubbly, optimistic, strong, and focused. She really doesn't let anything knock her down , up until she did and understandably so. I won't write too much about this as I don't want to spoil it.
Catching up with all the other characters was great as usual. There are always laugh out loud moments and great banter.
My problem was with Ramsay, the mmc. There's being grumpy , then there's just downright rude. To me, he was a walking red flag, and that's all I'm saying on that point. Yes, he might have been an incredible kilt maker, but his behaviour wasn't great.
Also, the spice scene gave me the serious ick! Please stop referring to our lady parts as " seams," " entrances," etc... 🤮
Loren Brae must have the highest concentration of hunky Scotsmen ever , which is unrealistic.
This 5th instalment follows Willows' story and her moving to Loren Brae to become part of the order of Caledonia.
I love Willows character. She is bubbly, optimistic, strong, and focused. She really doesn't let anything knock her down , up until she did and understandably so. I won't write too much about this as I don't want to spoil it.
Catching up with all the other characters was great as usual. There are always laugh out loud moments and great banter.
My problem was with Ramsay, the mmc. There's being grumpy , then there's just downright rude. To me, he was a walking red flag, and that's all I'm saying on that point. Yes, he might have been an incredible kilt maker, but his behaviour wasn't great.
Also, the spice scene gave me the serious ick! Please stop referring to our lady parts as " seams," " entrances," etc... 🤮
Loren Brae must have the highest concentration of hunky Scotsmen ever , which is unrealistic.
April 29, 2024
Tricia has such a way with world building! Such a cozy and comforting read. I loved Ramsey and Willow. They might be my favorite couple! I couldn't get enough of the kitten. The whole kilt making process was really fun to read about.
Thank you Tricia for the arc!
Thank you Tricia for the arc!
April 26, 2024
'Kilts, cats and kin, oh my! Tricia O'Malley enchants with the latest series of events Loren Brae in Wild Scottish Beauty. Sign me up and send me here!' - The British Bibliophile
Thank you to Tricia O'Malley for sending me an ebook Advanced Reader Copy for me to read and leave an honest review.
Special thank you to Tricia as well for approving me of a PR package for this release! It will be my third one overall since becoming a Bookstagrammer/BookToker, and my first in a year or so, thank you ever so much! I've been brainstorming ideas for content already and have seen THE perfect tartan design to match!
NOTE - - This review will be spoiler-free as standard, but it will contain references to contents within the book's blurb. If you wish to go into this book as a blind read without knowing a single thing about it, please exit my review now :)
Wild Scottish Beauty is the fifth book in Tricia O'Malley's The Enchanted Highlands series, and is the second book in the series that I have had the pleasure of reading. I'm very proud to have this book as my second ARC from Tricia, as I'm firmly in it for the foreseeable for as long as I'm blessed with reading her work.
It's no secret to anyone that knows me, that I love a good romance novel either set in Scotland or featuring a Scottish MMC or FMC, so it was an automatic no-brainer that after I read Starting Over Scottish when the ARC sign up for Wild Scottish Rose came up, that I was going for it!
Loren Brae and Tricia have both enchanted me from the start of my reading of her books, and after two successful reads both well-deserving of the full five stars, Wild Scottish Beauty was firmly in my sights to see if it would match them or fall short of the mark. The latter was highly unlikely, truth be told. Tricia and her books are as lovely as one another, so I had all faith in this book from before I had even read the first page.
Echoing this from my review for Wild Scottish Rose , I haven't been with this series from the start. I wish I had found Tricia back when she started this series but as the saying goes, 'better late than never'. Despite this lateness it doesn't feel as such. It feels as though I have been here from the start. Jumping in at book four felt far from sinking without a flotation device, and more like swimming and going with the flow. That, I found, was one of the beauties of Tricia's writing. You find yourself slotting in with the story, understanding everything, rather than feeling like an outside observer.
“She was sunshine to my storm clouds, and I wondered how the two could ever coexist.”
What happens when your life is as predictable as it gets and you're looking to get out of the mundane, same old-same old? You accept a chance job offer that takes you away from all of this and transports you to somewhere better. This is exactly what happens to Willow Barlowe when said chance job offer lands in her lap, giving her the perfect excuse to escape her life, her controlling brother Miles and everything he wants for her. Crossing the Atlantic to her new life, Willow lands in Loren Brae full of sunshine, smiles and hope, ready to take on her new role as a fashion intern for the local kiltmaker of the town.
That is, until she discovers firsthand that the man she is to be interning for, her new boss, is none other than her controlling brother's best friend, Ramsay McMillan. Also known as the grumpiest man this side of the Atlantic.
Willow not only has to watch out and avoid this man's grumpiness whenever she's around him, there's also the ghost of the Highland coo that haunts the castle she's staying in and the kelpie-ridden bewitched waters of the Loch Mirren. All of this on top of her refusal to work under Ramsay's watchful eyes as she is sure that her every move is being reported back to her brother by him. Or is he?
Ramsay McMillan is a proud kiltmaker, one of the last few remaining traditional ones in the whole of Scotland. He is loyal, upholds continuity and tradition is one of the most important things he values in life. The same can be said for privacy and for others to respect that he has it in spades. After he was betrayed by someone very close to him within his own family, his walls went up and the privacy level cranked up to max. Running his kilt empire is everything that he does and is, until a certain intern is thrust upon him. She so happens to be his best friend's little sister and soon proves to be a veritable thorn in his side. That is, if said thorn was made of all things sparkly and is the ray of sunshine in his otherwise dark and lonely life.
A series of unforeseen--pun intended, you'll know why--events are set to ensue. Grab your beverage of choice, sit down and get ready to meet Loren Brae's latest couple and their story.
I was right to trust my gut when it came to how I would like Wild Scottish Beauty , it very rarely steers me wrong. More so when it comes to books. My first two reads from Tricia intrigued me enough to keep going, but this is THE read that will forever have me coming back for more from her. Especially for the gentlemen of the kilted, Scots kind. Doubly especially if there's more men like Ramsay McMillan to come. I don't have many weaknesses in life, but fictional, broody, grumpy men like him are one of them. His character was written spectacularly (as were the rest), and out of all those in tartan that I've read across numerous Scottish romance-based novels, he's definitely up there in the top ten. Possibly top five, even. His appreciation for the fuller-figured ladies did not go unnoticed by me as one of them. If I could've wished Ramsay real for myself, I would have done it in an instant.
Special mention has to be included for the plus-size inclusivity by Tricia here, regarding Willow as the FMC. Representation of bodies of all types is not as present in the book world as much as some of us would like, and many main characters are of the same, stereotypical physical characteristics. Not Willow. She's a proud, plus-size woman (whom some may describe as mid-size, depending on personal interpretation), whose size isn't made to be the storyline of the book or one of its central themes. It's just an extension of her physical description as would be her hair or eye colour. Tricia wrote Willow's character just how I like plus-size FMCs to be and after reading this book? I'm feeling a little better about myself who can relate to this character and how she feels.
It's not wrong to have an FMC who is slim, trim and slender--or even a story that IS based around a FMCs size if that is what the author so choses to do--, but their sizes are just treated as part of their overall visual profile. Their size isn't the central plot of the story. This is what Tricia has done here and is a perfect example for others to emulate in their own way. I'm over-the-moon happy with the respect, dignity and pride for Willow's body type, and I'll definitely be recommending this if asked for a curvier FMC romance novel.
If you're looking for your next enchanting read that isn't too heavy on the steam--focusing more on the journey and character development--, has a generous drizzle of magick, heapings of Scottish heritage and culture (with smashing song choices in the cèilidh), and a story building up to what is promising to be an epic finale, this is the read for you.
Need further convincing if all this hasn't done it for you so far? Wild Scottish Beauty is my third novel to go onto my top reads of 2024 list. There, that should do it.
See you all in the sixth and final story where with any luck, we'll see the last of the kelpies thanks to the Order of Caledonia.
Thank you to Tricia O'Malley for sending me an ebook Advanced Reader Copy for me to read and leave an honest review.
Special thank you to Tricia as well for approving me of a PR package for this release! It will be my third one overall since becoming a Bookstagrammer/BookToker, and my first in a year or so, thank you ever so much! I've been brainstorming ideas for content already and have seen THE perfect tartan design to match!
NOTE - - This review will be spoiler-free as standard, but it will contain references to contents within the book's blurb. If you wish to go into this book as a blind read without knowing a single thing about it, please exit my review now :)
Wild Scottish Beauty is the fifth book in Tricia O'Malley's The Enchanted Highlands series, and is the second book in the series that I have had the pleasure of reading. I'm very proud to have this book as my second ARC from Tricia, as I'm firmly in it for the foreseeable for as long as I'm blessed with reading her work.
It's no secret to anyone that knows me, that I love a good romance novel either set in Scotland or featuring a Scottish MMC or FMC, so it was an automatic no-brainer that after I read Starting Over Scottish when the ARC sign up for Wild Scottish Rose came up, that I was going for it!
Loren Brae and Tricia have both enchanted me from the start of my reading of her books, and after two successful reads both well-deserving of the full five stars, Wild Scottish Beauty was firmly in my sights to see if it would match them or fall short of the mark. The latter was highly unlikely, truth be told. Tricia and her books are as lovely as one another, so I had all faith in this book from before I had even read the first page.
Echoing this from my review for Wild Scottish Rose , I haven't been with this series from the start. I wish I had found Tricia back when she started this series but as the saying goes, 'better late than never'. Despite this lateness it doesn't feel as such. It feels as though I have been here from the start. Jumping in at book four felt far from sinking without a flotation device, and more like swimming and going with the flow. That, I found, was one of the beauties of Tricia's writing. You find yourself slotting in with the story, understanding everything, rather than feeling like an outside observer.
“She was sunshine to my storm clouds, and I wondered how the two could ever coexist.”
What happens when your life is as predictable as it gets and you're looking to get out of the mundane, same old-same old? You accept a chance job offer that takes you away from all of this and transports you to somewhere better. This is exactly what happens to Willow Barlowe when said chance job offer lands in her lap, giving her the perfect excuse to escape her life, her controlling brother Miles and everything he wants for her. Crossing the Atlantic to her new life, Willow lands in Loren Brae full of sunshine, smiles and hope, ready to take on her new role as a fashion intern for the local kiltmaker of the town.
That is, until she discovers firsthand that the man she is to be interning for, her new boss, is none other than her controlling brother's best friend, Ramsay McMillan. Also known as the grumpiest man this side of the Atlantic.
Willow not only has to watch out and avoid this man's grumpiness whenever she's around him, there's also the ghost of the Highland coo that haunts the castle she's staying in and the kelpie-ridden bewitched waters of the Loch Mirren. All of this on top of her refusal to work under Ramsay's watchful eyes as she is sure that her every move is being reported back to her brother by him. Or is he?
Ramsay McMillan is a proud kiltmaker, one of the last few remaining traditional ones in the whole of Scotland. He is loyal, upholds continuity and tradition is one of the most important things he values in life. The same can be said for privacy and for others to respect that he has it in spades. After he was betrayed by someone very close to him within his own family, his walls went up and the privacy level cranked up to max. Running his kilt empire is everything that he does and is, until a certain intern is thrust upon him. She so happens to be his best friend's little sister and soon proves to be a veritable thorn in his side. That is, if said thorn was made of all things sparkly and is the ray of sunshine in his otherwise dark and lonely life.
A series of unforeseen--pun intended, you'll know why--events are set to ensue. Grab your beverage of choice, sit down and get ready to meet Loren Brae's latest couple and their story.
I was right to trust my gut when it came to how I would like Wild Scottish Beauty , it very rarely steers me wrong. More so when it comes to books. My first two reads from Tricia intrigued me enough to keep going, but this is THE read that will forever have me coming back for more from her. Especially for the gentlemen of the kilted, Scots kind. Doubly especially if there's more men like Ramsay McMillan to come. I don't have many weaknesses in life, but fictional, broody, grumpy men like him are one of them. His character was written spectacularly (as were the rest), and out of all those in tartan that I've read across numerous Scottish romance-based novels, he's definitely up there in the top ten. Possibly top five, even. His appreciation for the fuller-figured ladies did not go unnoticed by me as one of them. If I could've wished Ramsay real for myself, I would have done it in an instant.
Special mention has to be included for the plus-size inclusivity by Tricia here, regarding Willow as the FMC. Representation of bodies of all types is not as present in the book world as much as some of us would like, and many main characters are of the same, stereotypical physical characteristics. Not Willow. She's a proud, plus-size woman (whom some may describe as mid-size, depending on personal interpretation), whose size isn't made to be the storyline of the book or one of its central themes. It's just an extension of her physical description as would be her hair or eye colour. Tricia wrote Willow's character just how I like plus-size FMCs to be and after reading this book? I'm feeling a little better about myself who can relate to this character and how she feels.
It's not wrong to have an FMC who is slim, trim and slender--or even a story that IS based around a FMCs size if that is what the author so choses to do--, but their sizes are just treated as part of their overall visual profile. Their size isn't the central plot of the story. This is what Tricia has done here and is a perfect example for others to emulate in their own way. I'm over-the-moon happy with the respect, dignity and pride for Willow's body type, and I'll definitely be recommending this if asked for a curvier FMC romance novel.
If you're looking for your next enchanting read that isn't too heavy on the steam--focusing more on the journey and character development--, has a generous drizzle of magick, heapings of Scottish heritage and culture (with smashing song choices in the cèilidh), and a story building up to what is promising to be an epic finale, this is the read for you.
Need further convincing if all this hasn't done it for you so far? Wild Scottish Beauty is my third novel to go onto my top reads of 2024 list. There, that should do it.
See you all in the sixth and final story where with any luck, we'll see the last of the kelpies thanks to the Order of Caledonia.
May 5, 2024
Disappointing
The book although well written was not up to the standards set in the previous books in this series. The previous books had more depth, humor, whimsy and cool "supernatural" beings.
This book was boring by comparison. It's a huge disappointment for those of us that were looking forward to another fun book in this series. It's just a very dull story that does not live up to expectations.
The book although well written was not up to the standards set in the previous books in this series. The previous books had more depth, humor, whimsy and cool "supernatural" beings.
This book was boring by comparison. It's a huge disappointment for those of us that were looking forward to another fun book in this series. It's just a very dull story that does not live up to expectations.
March 2, 2025
Idk….im confused…. I should like this one a lot. Controlling brother, strong female lead just goes for it, brooding Scotsman… maybe it was the foreplay? Maybe I’m tired of hearing the same words over and over? I’m also not that into fashion, but the history of the kilt was interesting. I love history. Loved the banter… just not into this one. Maybe it was the skipping from garden witch to fashion was too much for me?….sigh
May 14, 2025
Disappointed
I usually love these books. This one was SO disappointing. It felt rushed. And too many pages spent on useless details. The characters from the first books weren’t nearly as involved as they normally are. Just overall let down.
I usually love these books. This one was SO disappointing. It felt rushed. And too many pages spent on useless details. The characters from the first books weren’t nearly as involved as they normally are. Just overall let down.
May 5, 2025
Ms. Tricia O'Malley has another hit in her hands!
May 9, 2024
✨ Yes, 100% yes!! ✨
Wild Scottish Beauty is the fifth installment in Tricia O’Malley’s Enchanted Highlands series and it is absolutely magical! It feels so good to be back in Loren Brae catching up with old favorites and meeting new ones! This series is full of heartfelt romance, enchanting magic, mythical creatures, ancient lore and the cutest spooky ghost coo!!
🏴 Scotland
🏰 Gorgeous Castle
✂️ Fashion Design
🐾 Pawseome Kitten
✨ Magic
🗺️ Adventure
🧳 Starting Over
💖 Romance
⚔️ Ancient Order
📚 Fifth in the Series
🐮 Ghost Coo
⛅️ Grumpy/Sunshine
🫶🏼 Found Family
Tricia O’Malley perfectly blends magical realism with swoon worthy romance into a one of a kind adventure! I love this series so much and cannot wait to see what magic awaits us in Wild Scottish Fortune!!
Thank you so much Tricia O’Malley for the gifted copy!!
June 14, 2024
I received this ARC from Tricia O’Malley a couple months ago and with all the craziness of Apollycon and all the craziness after coming back I didn’t get a chance to really dive into it until now and I have to say I am so glad I finally got to it!
The representation for plus size women was AMAZING. As a plus size woman sometimes its hard to picture yourself as the heroine or FMC and sometimes plus size women are not represented correctly and this book really does us justice. Thank you for that Tricia. The grumpy/sunshine trope in this book is super fun and its cute to see how different both characters are but how well they come together. Of course the magick is top notch and I always love feeling as if I am actually living through the challenges. Overall 5/5 stars, I love this series and I can’t wait for the next book!
The representation for plus size women was AMAZING. As a plus size woman sometimes its hard to picture yourself as the heroine or FMC and sometimes plus size women are not represented correctly and this book really does us justice. Thank you for that Tricia. The grumpy/sunshine trope in this book is super fun and its cute to see how different both characters are but how well they come together. Of course the magick is top notch and I always love feeling as if I am actually living through the challenges. Overall 5/5 stars, I love this series and I can’t wait for the next book!
May 7, 2024
Willow and Ramsey
This series is so cozy! I love the lighter paranormal elements and overall story of the small Scottish town! This is definitely a great edition to the series.
We continue to see the characters from previous books grow into their Order roles and I love how the new characters are introduced.
I don't think I've read an MMC more grumpy than Ramsey or more of a sunshine than Willow! They balanced each other perfectly, even if it took some time to get there! It was nice to bring some additional elements to the story, like Ramsey knowing Willow's brother, to help build the characters.
I can't wait to see what happens next!
This series is so cozy! I love the lighter paranormal elements and overall story of the small Scottish town! This is definitely a great edition to the series.
We continue to see the characters from previous books grow into their Order roles and I love how the new characters are introduced.
I don't think I've read an MMC more grumpy than Ramsey or more of a sunshine than Willow! They balanced each other perfectly, even if it took some time to get there! It was nice to bring some additional elements to the story, like Ramsey knowing Willow's brother, to help build the characters.
I can't wait to see what happens next!
November 10, 2025
Another wonderful love story in this charming series. And, seriously, the familiars are so cute! Found family and love being worth the risk continue to be themes in this series, and I love that most!
Again, while understandable to a point, the mini drama near the end I could have done without and yet it was less annoying than book 1. Both brothers were full on assholes! I get that with this short of a book, and with the focus being the love story and magick, only so much can be covered, but I feel an apology scene with one should have happened. Still enjoyed the book overall and think it is a great read.
Again, while understandable to a point, the mini drama near the end I could have done without and yet it was less annoying than book 1. Both brothers were full on assholes! I get that with this short of a book, and with the focus being the love story and magick, only so much can be covered, but I feel an apology scene with one should have happened. Still enjoyed the book overall and think it is a great read.
September 5, 2024
4.5⭐️This series just gets better with each book! I really liked Willow and Ramsey. They’re the perfect Grumpy x Sunshine duo. Calvin was adorable and I loved how much Clyde hung out in this book. I would have liked to get more info on the big drama Arthur end, like the motive, because it felt a little far fetched, but it didn’t make me like the story any less. Just curiosity. As always, Amy Landon and Will Watt were wonderful. I was particularly surprised but the Minnesota accents, especially Watt’s.
June 2, 2024
The book itself is 3.5 stars, but the audiobook is good enough to bump this to four stars. The narrators were wonderful and incredibly talented. I loved the different voices and the Scottish accent was perfect.
The book was enjoyable but it felt like two books in one. I think I would have preferred both stories being fleshed out in their own books. I really liked the characters and the universe so I plan to add the series to my TBR.
I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher.
The book was enjoyable but it felt like two books in one. I think I would have preferred both stories being fleshed out in their own books. I really liked the characters and the universe so I plan to add the series to my TBR.
I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher.
May 15, 2024
Every single book in this series always hits the nail on the head.
Scottish Highlands? Check. Hot MMC and FMC? Check. Down to earth characters? Check. Ghost coo? Check.
Hit me with the next one, Tricia, I'm ready!
Scottish Highlands? Check. Hot MMC and FMC? Check. Down to earth characters? Check. Ghost coo? Check.
Hit me with the next one, Tricia, I'm ready!
April 30, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
June 6, 2024
I loved it. This series is such a warm hug.
July 28, 2024
I don’t know how I didn’t see this was part of a series 🤦🏽♀️
I still enjoyed this book. It didn’t have a lot of supernatural events happening like I thought it would but it was still really good.
The narration was good. Love the Scottish accents!!
It’s not super spicy but it does have some.
Willow is a head strong woman and doesn’t let others hold her back from her dreams. She has faced a few bumps in the road but she doesn’t let it stop her from her dreams or seeing the good in the world.
Ramsey on the other hand doesn’t see the world as a good place where good things can happen. He’s had to deal with family stabbing him in the back and this closes him off to the world.
However, when he meets Willow he can see and feel the good coming off her. He enjoys giving her a hard time but deep down he wants to be apart of her world.
I still enjoyed this book. It didn’t have a lot of supernatural events happening like I thought it would but it was still really good.
The narration was good. Love the Scottish accents!!
It’s not super spicy but it does have some.
Willow is a head strong woman and doesn’t let others hold her back from her dreams. She has faced a few bumps in the road but she doesn’t let it stop her from her dreams or seeing the good in the world.
Ramsey on the other hand doesn’t see the world as a good place where good things can happen. He’s had to deal with family stabbing him in the back and this closes him off to the world.
However, when he meets Willow he can see and feel the good coming off her. He enjoys giving her a hard time but deep down he wants to be apart of her world.
August 31, 2024
Delightful!
I thoroughly enjoyed this fun and delightful book SO much! I’ve read them all in order and each one is my new favorite. I LOVE SCOTLAND!❤️
I thoroughly enjoyed this fun and delightful book SO much! I’ve read them all in order and each one is my new favorite. I LOVE SCOTLAND!❤️
August 17, 2024
Absolutely loved this book! I love the whole series but this book especially and I was sad when it ended. Looking forward to starting book 6.!!
April 30, 2024
“You never talk. Like never. And once you do, this is the stuff that comes out?” - Willow
Phew, Ramsay! Man of few words, but he def makes them count! 😉
Loved this latest edition to the Enchanted Highlands Series where we meet our American Weaver, Willow. And the broody resident Kilt Maker, and her Brother's Best Friend, Ramsay. Plus a new wee beastie to swoon over 🐱
Phew, Ramsay! Man of few words, but he def makes them count! 😉
Loved this latest edition to the Enchanted Highlands Series where we meet our American Weaver, Willow. And the broody resident Kilt Maker, and her Brother's Best Friend, Ramsay. Plus a new wee beastie to swoon over 🐱
June 2, 2024
3.5 stars
Sweet! Another cozy Scottish fantasy romance novel! Just what I needed. I would visit Loren Brae if it was real. Love the grumpy/sunshine trope. A cute animal sidekick is always nice. The detailed accounts of most of the outfits really made the fashion come to life. Was also enjoyable to hear the other characters from the other books interact.
Quick plot: Unlucky in love and business, fashion designer Willow is invited to Scotland for a job and fresh start. Could her grumpy new boss/ family friend turn into more? Can she break through his walls? Body positivity another positive.
The narrators were great together, just like the last book in the series. Quite talented. I’m going to back and read the other books in the series once day soon.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in return for this review.
Sweet! Another cozy Scottish fantasy romance novel! Just what I needed. I would visit Loren Brae if it was real. Love the grumpy/sunshine trope. A cute animal sidekick is always nice. The detailed accounts of most of the outfits really made the fashion come to life. Was also enjoyable to hear the other characters from the other books interact.
Quick plot: Unlucky in love and business, fashion designer Willow is invited to Scotland for a job and fresh start. Could her grumpy new boss/ family friend turn into more? Can she break through his walls? Body positivity another positive.
The narrators were great together, just like the last book in the series. Quite talented. I’m going to back and read the other books in the series once day soon.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in return for this review.
March 4, 2025
Sweet
Grumpy sunshine. All men look good in a kilt right? Especially hot muscled Scottish kilt makers. These stories are fun with a bit of spice and a ghost coo. Enjoyable all around!
Grumpy sunshine. All men look good in a kilt right? Especially hot muscled Scottish kilt makers. These stories are fun with a bit of spice and a ghost coo. Enjoyable all around!
May 13, 2024
5/5⭐️
2.5/5🌶️
This was adorable!! Tricia has such a way of making her writing so magical! I loved every second. The body positivity, the mental health rep, the characters chemistry was great, and the spice was spicin!! This is a great series for romantasy lovers! The spicy to plot ratio is perfect. Not too much and doesn’t take away from the plot. I can’t wait for the next!
Thank you Tricia for the beautiful arc!!
2.5/5🌶️
This was adorable!! Tricia has such a way of making her writing so magical! I loved every second. The body positivity, the mental health rep, the characters chemistry was great, and the spice was spicin!! This is a great series for romantasy lovers! The spicy to plot ratio is perfect. Not too much and doesn’t take away from the plot. I can’t wait for the next!
Thank you Tricia for the beautiful arc!!
May 22, 2025
Fekkin Yes! Shout out the Minnesota rep! Grumpy/Sunshine, banter, yearning, big burley men with kittens. Perfection! This slow burn and subsequent pay-off was swoon worthy for sure. I giggled, cackled, and blushed. This series just keeps churning out the 5⭐️s.
September 18, 2024
Legit gave me butterflies. This may be my favorite in the series so far. Of the series, all MCs are adults in their 20s+, and I appreciate this so much. Willow is full-figured fashion designer, with a passion for learning and designing for women who aren't typically designed for. Ramsay is the crabby kilt-maker, who studied in Minnesota and was best friends with Willow's brother years ago (the friendship has endured even after he returned to Scotland). Their unexpected reunion also comes with unexpected feelings, and more so when Ramsay finds out Willow was hired to intern with him at his business, giving us a brother's best-friend story in Loren Brae. Both have their familial issues to overcome, and Ramsay messes up big-time. Are they able to overcome everything? (It's Tricia O'Malley so obvs, and it's fantastic.)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 395 reviews