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Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands
Olivia Bingham has bad luck with men.
She's been ghosted more times than she can count, but this Christmas she's finally met someone really special Fraser Douglas, a Scottish chef working at an idyllic hotel in the Highlands. He's sweet and sensitive, thoughtful and funny – not to mention incredibly good looking.
Just when she thinks things couldn't be going any better, Fraser's dating profile vanishes, and Olivia fears the worst. Frustrated and wounded, Olivia decides she's going to drive all the way out to Loch Lochy Hotel and confront Fraser.
But when she arrives, things don't go exactly as she hoped. Worse still, Fraser doesn't seem to have any idea who she is....
She's been ghosted more times than she can count, but this Christmas she's finally met someone really special Fraser Douglas, a Scottish chef working at an idyllic hotel in the Highlands. He's sweet and sensitive, thoughtful and funny – not to mention incredibly good looking.
Just when she thinks things couldn't be going any better, Fraser's dating profile vanishes, and Olivia fears the worst. Frustrated and wounded, Olivia decides she's going to drive all the way out to Loch Lochy Hotel and confront Fraser.
But when she arrives, things don't go exactly as she hoped. Worse still, Fraser doesn't seem to have any idea who she is....
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 7, 2024
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December 13, 2025
EXCERPT: It wasn't a conventional relationship but after what she'd been through this felt like a safer way to get to know someone. And while she didn't like to think of herself as superficial, he did look hot in his profile picture. She'd initially been attracted by his auburn hair - a very similar shade to her own. He had the most stunning blue eyes she'd ever seen and a well-groomed beard.
Fraser had a sort of ruggedness about his features, not that she'd studied his tiny picture for hours on end. Okay, maybe a couple more hours than was healthy, one of the many dangers of working from home. She was keen to show him off to her friends and was speedily navigating the app. For some reason Liv couldn't get his details to come up. She also couldn't seem to find their lengthy message thread. The app was likely playing up so she refreshed it and waited impatiently for it to reload. Still nothing. His profile, along with their messages, was gone.
An icy sensation swept over her and settled in her gut. 'What's wrong?' asked Charlotte, quickly sensing all was not well.
'It's gone. His picture has been deleted and all of our messages,' Liv said in a small, defeated voice.
'Ghosted again?' said Abigail with a hiccup.
The phrase shot alarm through her.
It couldn't have happened again. Could it?
ABOUT 'MISTLETOE MAGIC IN THE HIGHLANDS': Olivia Bingham has bad luck with men.
She's been ghosted more times than she can count, but this Christmas she's finally met someone really special Fraser Douglas, a Scottish chef working at an idyllic hotel in the Highlands. He's sweet and sensitive, thoughtful and funny – not to mention incredibly good looking.
Just when she thinks things couldn't be going any better, Fraser's dating profile vanishes, and Olivia fears the worst. Frustrated and wounded, Olivia decides she's going to drive all the way out to Loch Lochy Hotel and confront Fraser.
But when she arrives, things don't go exactly as she hoped. Worse still, Fraser doesn't seem to have any idea who she is....
MY THOUGHTS: A fun read that had me chuckling throughout and left me with a smile on my face.
Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands was an absolutely delightful read. I applauded Liv for taking a stand and heading off to confront the 'ghoster' face to face. She is fed up with being walked over, used and discarded like a used tissue. Most unlike the usual Liv who is quite meek and non-confrontational. But a woman can only take so much . . . and Liv has reached and exceeded that point.
But, of course, life rarely runs to plan and Liv finds herself in all kinds of difficulties. While the setting of snow-covered Highlands is majestic, it causes more than a few problems but it also enables her to stay in the castle where Fraser is chef, along with various other people also stranded by the weather.
The characters are superbly quirky. Liv is having to think on her feet to maintain her facade. Fraser is a grump with occasional bright spots. His cousin Effie is the absolute star of this book along with Ginger, a Scottish Highland cattle beast. I fell in love with her and would love to keep her in my back yard, except that she is a bit of an escape artist and thinks she's a dog. Robbie Williams also makes an appearance (not that Robbie Williams) and there's a sprightly group of OAP who have some surprising talents.
The quirky little twist at the end was perfect and had me laughing again.
I also learned a couple of new Scottish words - flindrikin Something light, flimsy and unsubstantial, a slight snow-shower and oorlich Of persons: miserable-looking from cold, hunger or illness, pinched, haggard, shivery, out-of-sorts; of the weather: damp, chilly and unpleasant, raw, bleak, depressing; of things: sad and depressing, eerie.
If you are wanting a book to warm the cockles of your heart and get you in the spirit of Christmas, look no further.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.2
#MistletoeMagicInTheHighlands #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: BELLA OSBORNE's stories are about friendship, love and coping with what life throws at you. She likes to find the humor in the darker moments of life and weaves these into her stories. Bella believes that writing your own story really is the best fun ever, closely followed by talking, eating chocolate, drinking fizz, and planning holidays. She lives in the Midlands, UK with her lovely husband and wonderful daughter, who thankfully, both accept her as she is (with mad morning hair and a penchant for skipping). (Source: Amazon)
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Aria & Aries via Netgalley for providing a e-ARC of Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands by Bella Osborne for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Fraser had a sort of ruggedness about his features, not that she'd studied his tiny picture for hours on end. Okay, maybe a couple more hours than was healthy, one of the many dangers of working from home. She was keen to show him off to her friends and was speedily navigating the app. For some reason Liv couldn't get his details to come up. She also couldn't seem to find their lengthy message thread. The app was likely playing up so she refreshed it and waited impatiently for it to reload. Still nothing. His profile, along with their messages, was gone.
An icy sensation swept over her and settled in her gut. 'What's wrong?' asked Charlotte, quickly sensing all was not well.
'It's gone. His picture has been deleted and all of our messages,' Liv said in a small, defeated voice.
'Ghosted again?' said Abigail with a hiccup.
The phrase shot alarm through her.
It couldn't have happened again. Could it?
ABOUT 'MISTLETOE MAGIC IN THE HIGHLANDS': Olivia Bingham has bad luck with men.
She's been ghosted more times than she can count, but this Christmas she's finally met someone really special Fraser Douglas, a Scottish chef working at an idyllic hotel in the Highlands. He's sweet and sensitive, thoughtful and funny – not to mention incredibly good looking.
Just when she thinks things couldn't be going any better, Fraser's dating profile vanishes, and Olivia fears the worst. Frustrated and wounded, Olivia decides she's going to drive all the way out to Loch Lochy Hotel and confront Fraser.
But when she arrives, things don't go exactly as she hoped. Worse still, Fraser doesn't seem to have any idea who she is....
MY THOUGHTS: A fun read that had me chuckling throughout and left me with a smile on my face.
Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands was an absolutely delightful read. I applauded Liv for taking a stand and heading off to confront the 'ghoster' face to face. She is fed up with being walked over, used and discarded like a used tissue. Most unlike the usual Liv who is quite meek and non-confrontational. But a woman can only take so much . . . and Liv has reached and exceeded that point.
But, of course, life rarely runs to plan and Liv finds herself in all kinds of difficulties. While the setting of snow-covered Highlands is majestic, it causes more than a few problems but it also enables her to stay in the castle where Fraser is chef, along with various other people also stranded by the weather.
The characters are superbly quirky. Liv is having to think on her feet to maintain her facade. Fraser is a grump with occasional bright spots. His cousin Effie is the absolute star of this book along with Ginger, a Scottish Highland cattle beast. I fell in love with her and would love to keep her in my back yard, except that she is a bit of an escape artist and thinks she's a dog. Robbie Williams also makes an appearance (not that Robbie Williams) and there's a sprightly group of OAP who have some surprising talents.
The quirky little twist at the end was perfect and had me laughing again.
I also learned a couple of new Scottish words - flindrikin Something light, flimsy and unsubstantial, a slight snow-shower and oorlich Of persons: miserable-looking from cold, hunger or illness, pinched, haggard, shivery, out-of-sorts; of the weather: damp, chilly and unpleasant, raw, bleak, depressing; of things: sad and depressing, eerie.
If you are wanting a book to warm the cockles of your heart and get you in the spirit of Christmas, look no further.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.2
#MistletoeMagicInTheHighlands #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: BELLA OSBORNE's stories are about friendship, love and coping with what life throws at you. She likes to find the humor in the darker moments of life and weaves these into her stories. Bella believes that writing your own story really is the best fun ever, closely followed by talking, eating chocolate, drinking fizz, and planning holidays. She lives in the Midlands, UK with her lovely husband and wonderful daughter, who thankfully, both accept her as she is (with mad morning hair and a penchant for skipping). (Source: Amazon)
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Aria & Aries via Netgalley for providing a e-ARC of Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands by Bella Osborne for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 8, 2025
An absolutely laugh-out-loud book!
With lovable, quirky, sweet, surprising characters, human and other ones.
The banter between the FMC and the MMC is funny, hilarious, tender, to die for.
Beautiful settings in Scotland!
A good storyline, so well written, never a boring moment, so you can't stop reading. Just one more chapter, needing to know immediately what's going to happen next.
Olivia Bingham lives in Blackburn, Lancashire, in her sister spare room, has her own company, just her and her laptop, helping small business to have visibility online. She's good.
But has terrible bad luck on dates.
She's celebrating her 25th birthday with her sister Charlotte and her best friend, a week before Christmas!
She tells them she is dating a sweet, kind, hot, blue eyed man, Fraser, a Chef with his own restaurant who lives near Loch Lochy in Scotland, talking to him every day through a dating app. But when she wants to show them what he looks like, suddenly is profile and all the messages are gone.
Was she ghosted again?
She felt like the biggest loser in the entire world!
But this time she's not going to dodge this situation as she always does and decides to go to Scotland to end this face to face with him.
Her sister lends Liv her own BMW because her car wouldn't make it through the long driving.
At some time it starts pouring and turning too fast to the Lochy House Hotel she doesn't see a pothole and damages the passager side tyre.
And she has to walk the rest of the way, but when nobody answers she manages to look through a high window but falls down, bangs her head and hurts one ankle.
And that's when she meets Fraser, even hotter in real life, but he doesn't seems to know who she is, his cousin Effie, kind, living to much in her head and rambling a lot, Dolly their grandmother, in a motorized wheel-chair, Jack'o the lap dog and Ginger responsable for her fall, a "wee" highland cow who likes listening to music!
Liv fakes having amnesia to try and found out more about Fraser.
The hotel and the lodge are falling apart but the restaurant is ready for the grand opening.
And the hilarious banter begins between the two and also the hilarious situations Liv seems to always get in to. Like the bathroom one when they meet stark naked because she thought it was vacant.
Due to a huge blizzard they lodge 3 strangers when their car drove into a ditch.
Liv starts to help in the kitchen, and where she's needed, recovers from her fake amnesia and begins to see the grumpy Fraser in a different but good way.
She becomes friends with Effie and she and Fraser kiss briefly under the mistletoe.
The opening of the restaurant with a showcase dinner is compromised because of Fraser's ex girlfriend Lizzie, and Liv and Dolly find a solution and it's a sucess!
Fraser still insists he never opened an account in the dating app.
They argue because he thinks Liv hurt Effie, when she was trying to protect her, and orders her to pack her things and leave!
And she ends telling him what she really came there for.
The ending and the epilogue were lovely and emotional and it left me with a big smile on my face!
I hope you'll love this Christmas book too!
With lovable, quirky, sweet, surprising characters, human and other ones.
The banter between the FMC and the MMC is funny, hilarious, tender, to die for.
Beautiful settings in Scotland!
A good storyline, so well written, never a boring moment, so you can't stop reading. Just one more chapter, needing to know immediately what's going to happen next.
Olivia Bingham lives in Blackburn, Lancashire, in her sister spare room, has her own company, just her and her laptop, helping small business to have visibility online. She's good.
But has terrible bad luck on dates.
She's celebrating her 25th birthday with her sister Charlotte and her best friend, a week before Christmas!
She tells them she is dating a sweet, kind, hot, blue eyed man, Fraser, a Chef with his own restaurant who lives near Loch Lochy in Scotland, talking to him every day through a dating app. But when she wants to show them what he looks like, suddenly is profile and all the messages are gone.
Was she ghosted again?
She felt like the biggest loser in the entire world!
But this time she's not going to dodge this situation as she always does and decides to go to Scotland to end this face to face with him.
Her sister lends Liv her own BMW because her car wouldn't make it through the long driving.
At some time it starts pouring and turning too fast to the Lochy House Hotel she doesn't see a pothole and damages the passager side tyre.
And she has to walk the rest of the way, but when nobody answers she manages to look through a high window but falls down, bangs her head and hurts one ankle.
And that's when she meets Fraser, even hotter in real life, but he doesn't seems to know who she is, his cousin Effie, kind, living to much in her head and rambling a lot, Dolly their grandmother, in a motorized wheel-chair, Jack'o the lap dog and Ginger responsable for her fall, a "wee" highland cow who likes listening to music!
Liv fakes having amnesia to try and found out more about Fraser.
The hotel and the lodge are falling apart but the restaurant is ready for the grand opening.
And the hilarious banter begins between the two and also the hilarious situations Liv seems to always get in to. Like the bathroom one when they meet stark naked because she thought it was vacant.
Due to a huge blizzard they lodge 3 strangers when their car drove into a ditch.
Liv starts to help in the kitchen, and where she's needed, recovers from her fake amnesia and begins to see the grumpy Fraser in a different but good way.
She becomes friends with Effie and she and Fraser kiss briefly under the mistletoe.
The opening of the restaurant with a showcase dinner is compromised because of Fraser's ex girlfriend Lizzie, and Liv and Dolly find a solution and it's a sucess!
Fraser still insists he never opened an account in the dating app.
They argue because he thinks Liv hurt Effie, when she was trying to protect her, and orders her to pack her things and leave!
And she ends telling him what she really came there for.
The ending and the epilogue were lovely and emotional and it left me with a big smile on my face!
I hope you'll love this Christmas book too!
August 18, 2024
I absolutely Love this contemporary Christmas rom-com. There is no “spice” but the banter, characters, and story are 100%. This is definitely for anyone that loves feel good romance.
# Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands
# 8/7/2024 ~ 8/18/2024
# 5.0 / 5.0
# Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands
# 8/7/2024 ~ 8/18/2024
# 5.0 / 5.0
October 1, 2024
DIDN'T COME TOGETHER FOR ME
I was into the premise, but it went nowhere fast. I just couldn't get into this.
What I didn't like
👎 Chemistry: A romance novel has to have chemistry between the main characters. Fraser and Liv had zero chemistry in my humble opinion. There was absolutely nothing there.
👎 Fraser: Maybe the lack of chemistry - partly - stemmed from Fraser as a character. I just could not like him. He was a grouch, but not in a cute or redeemable way. I just couldn't see him as a romantic lead.
👎 Ghosting: Fraser alleged ghosting of Liv was the beginning of the novel, and I though it would have been a bigger, more prominent plot point. But it just... fizzled out. It was pretty much abandoned until the end.
👎 "Amnesia": Another abandoned plot point was Liv's "Amnesia". It pretty much made no difference in the larger context of the story, and just felt pointless.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I was into the premise, but it went nowhere fast. I just couldn't get into this.
What I didn't like
👎 Chemistry: A romance novel has to have chemistry between the main characters. Fraser and Liv had zero chemistry in my humble opinion. There was absolutely nothing there.
👎 Fraser: Maybe the lack of chemistry - partly - stemmed from Fraser as a character. I just could not like him. He was a grouch, but not in a cute or redeemable way. I just couldn't see him as a romantic lead.
👎 Ghosting: Fraser alleged ghosting of Liv was the beginning of the novel, and I though it would have been a bigger, more prominent plot point. But it just... fizzled out. It was pretty much abandoned until the end.
👎 "Amnesia": Another abandoned plot point was Liv's "Amnesia". It pretty much made no difference in the larger context of the story, and just felt pointless.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
August 26, 2024
I received a free copy of, Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands, by Bella Osborne, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Olivia Bingham does not have the best taste in men, she has been ghosted a lot. When she meets Fraser on a dating app, she thinks he could be the one, until he ghosts her too!. Olivia decides to go to the Highlands to meet Fraser in the flesh. I would love to spend Christmas in The Scottish Highlands, how beautiful it would be. I enjoyed this book.
December 31, 2024
My final Christmas read of the year and I was hoping to go out on a bang. I love Bella Osborne books and I was confident this read would just keep my festive feelings tingling a bit longer. Unfortunately, this story went down like a damp squib and I could not connect with the plot or characters in the slightest.
In my opinion, this story did not gel together very well and it felt incredibly messy. It seemed like Osborne was trying out something different with this book because it felt very different to her other stories. Firstly, there was the repeated attempts at trying to be funny: it seemed awkward and incredibly predictable. Sometimes it felt like I was watching a poor comedy film that was more slapstick than story. Secondly, the plot came across as all over the place: a bit of romance here, ghostly hauntings there, mysteries to solve and a collection of individuals that seem to be thrown together in a run-down hotel at Loch Lochy. Finally, it was these characters that I could not really get to grips with and found that Effie, one of the secondary characters, was the more interesting of the lot.
I persevered with this book because I just thought it was me in a reading slump… again. I really wanted to see a romance develop between Liv and Fraser, but there was too much going on elsewhere in the story for that to properly happen. Her convenient “memory loss” was forgotten after a few chapters and I was confused as to why Liv was not going to confront Fraser about the ghosting. Perhaps I was anticipating an “enemies to lovers” sort of story with plenty of Christmas vibes, but I felt that for the most part, the story went round in circles.
The setting was very cosy and I especially appreciated the large dumpings of snow. Ginger the cow was quite entertaining and, as mentioned, Effie was the most loveable of them all. I really wanted her to have her happy ever after, perhaps more so than Liv, and spotted the close friendship she has with Robbie Williams (great name choice). As for the connection between Liv and Fraser, I couldn’t see where the romance would go and still failed to see the attraction with someone so grumpy and unappealing.
Ultimately, this wasn’t as Christmassy as I was expecting but there was a happy ending and quite a bit of festive cheer. Sometimes I thought the story was quite far-fetched and went round in circles, but I did like having a story set in Scotland and seeing Effie come into her own.
With thanks to Aria and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In my opinion, this story did not gel together very well and it felt incredibly messy. It seemed like Osborne was trying out something different with this book because it felt very different to her other stories. Firstly, there was the repeated attempts at trying to be funny: it seemed awkward and incredibly predictable. Sometimes it felt like I was watching a poor comedy film that was more slapstick than story. Secondly, the plot came across as all over the place: a bit of romance here, ghostly hauntings there, mysteries to solve and a collection of individuals that seem to be thrown together in a run-down hotel at Loch Lochy. Finally, it was these characters that I could not really get to grips with and found that Effie, one of the secondary characters, was the more interesting of the lot.
I persevered with this book because I just thought it was me in a reading slump… again. I really wanted to see a romance develop between Liv and Fraser, but there was too much going on elsewhere in the story for that to properly happen. Her convenient “memory loss” was forgotten after a few chapters and I was confused as to why Liv was not going to confront Fraser about the ghosting. Perhaps I was anticipating an “enemies to lovers” sort of story with plenty of Christmas vibes, but I felt that for the most part, the story went round in circles.
The setting was very cosy and I especially appreciated the large dumpings of snow. Ginger the cow was quite entertaining and, as mentioned, Effie was the most loveable of them all. I really wanted her to have her happy ever after, perhaps more so than Liv, and spotted the close friendship she has with Robbie Williams (great name choice). As for the connection between Liv and Fraser, I couldn’t see where the romance would go and still failed to see the attraction with someone so grumpy and unappealing.
Ultimately, this wasn’t as Christmassy as I was expecting but there was a happy ending and quite a bit of festive cheer. Sometimes I thought the story was quite far-fetched and went round in circles, but I did like having a story set in Scotland and seeing Effie come into her own.
With thanks to Aria and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 2, 2025
My last holiday read for 2024! A fun, rom-comy, mix-up set in Scotland.
Enjoyed the interaction between Liv and Fraser, and all the Scottish side characters - even Ginger, the Highland cow who thinks she's a dog.
A perfect way to send-off the holidays and get back to regular life.
*A sincere thank you to Bella Osborne, Aria & Aries | Aria, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #MistletoeMagicInTheHighlands #NetGalley
Enjoyed the interaction between Liv and Fraser, and all the Scottish side characters - even Ginger, the Highland cow who thinks she's a dog.
A perfect way to send-off the holidays and get back to regular life.
*A sincere thank you to Bella Osborne, Aria & Aries | Aria, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #MistletoeMagicInTheHighlands #NetGalley
October 7, 2024
Thank you Aria and Netgalley for an advanced copy of Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands in exchange for an honest review.
I feel bad for this but this book was a hot mess. I was hopeful because I love Scotland and the Highlands have a mystical, ethereal quality to the region and I was expecting some of that. However, the book fell so flat. Where's the magic? The plot was all over the place; there were scenes that did not seem necessary to plot development and the main tension point (Fraser allegedly ghosting Liv) gets lost often. One example is Fraser telling Liv to leave (again) after he thought she insulted Effie. That response felt out of left field since the book already established a fondness between the two ladies so it didn't make sense that he would respond that way without inquiring more from Effie or Liv. The writing was stunted and repetitive ("She [rest of sentence]. She [rest of sentence]. She [rest of sentence].") The dialogue between characters ran longer than they should. Conversations veered left and right that I would forget the point of the conversation and not understand what the purpose of the conversation was. For example, at the beginning, Liv had a supposedly comedic scene with her mother and sister. I got the gist of their family dynamic and individual personalities, however, there were unnecessary quips that made the scene feel long.
Further, the book was uneven in its application of the Scottish Highland brogue. It would pop up here and there but certainly not throughout, which it should. OR, leave it out and let the reader imagine a thick Scottish accent. And from the additions of the brogue (e.g. "canna[e]"), I could tell the author (and probably editor) is not Scottish. I lived in Scotland for several years and, though I am not Scottish, I could tell when something does not sound right. And, there are certainly portions of the dialogue from Scottish characters that don't sound Scottish at all. Similar to that point, the place-setting could be better. It really could have been in any snowy mountainous area by the book's description of the landscape. The Scottish landscape is majestic and vast, with peaks and valleys. Readers do not get a sense of that. Nor is the description of the castle hotel adequate. I just know it's large and made of stone. What time period is it from? Medieval? Victorian? That will give an idea of what the rooms look like. Are there long galleries? Is there a massive foyer? Is the kitchen a medieval kitchen updated for modern use? Or is Fraser working with an Edwardian kitchen with a large butler's pantry somewhere?
The book was a struggle to get through. I often didn't know where it was taking me.
I feel bad for this but this book was a hot mess. I was hopeful because I love Scotland and the Highlands have a mystical, ethereal quality to the region and I was expecting some of that. However, the book fell so flat. Where's the magic? The plot was all over the place; there were scenes that did not seem necessary to plot development and the main tension point (Fraser allegedly ghosting Liv) gets lost often. One example is Fraser telling Liv to leave (again) after he thought she insulted Effie. That response felt out of left field since the book already established a fondness between the two ladies so it didn't make sense that he would respond that way without inquiring more from Effie or Liv. The writing was stunted and repetitive ("She [rest of sentence]. She [rest of sentence]. She [rest of sentence].") The dialogue between characters ran longer than they should. Conversations veered left and right that I would forget the point of the conversation and not understand what the purpose of the conversation was. For example, at the beginning, Liv had a supposedly comedic scene with her mother and sister. I got the gist of their family dynamic and individual personalities, however, there were unnecessary quips that made the scene feel long.
Further, the book was uneven in its application of the Scottish Highland brogue. It would pop up here and there but certainly not throughout, which it should. OR, leave it out and let the reader imagine a thick Scottish accent. And from the additions of the brogue (e.g. "canna[e]"), I could tell the author (and probably editor) is not Scottish. I lived in Scotland for several years and, though I am not Scottish, I could tell when something does not sound right. And, there are certainly portions of the dialogue from Scottish characters that don't sound Scottish at all. Similar to that point, the place-setting could be better. It really could have been in any snowy mountainous area by the book's description of the landscape. The Scottish landscape is majestic and vast, with peaks and valleys. Readers do not get a sense of that. Nor is the description of the castle hotel adequate. I just know it's large and made of stone. What time period is it from? Medieval? Victorian? That will give an idea of what the rooms look like. Are there long galleries? Is there a massive foyer? Is the kitchen a medieval kitchen updated for modern use? Or is Fraser working with an Edwardian kitchen with a large butler's pantry somewhere?
The book was a struggle to get through. I often didn't know where it was taking me.
December 22, 2025
3,75⭐️ reread (next christmas): still so funny and wholesome! maybe a bit stereotypical at times and needs more romance but so much happening at all times and loved it
4,5⭐️ I don't care what you say this was so funny I almost chocked multiple times!! Maybe it's just my humour... the environment and atmosphere was on point! There was constantly something happening, many endearing characters, Ginger!! I loved Scotland and I read this at a perfect time, all the stars aligned!✨🙂↕️ yes it was a bit cliched and miscommunication was present at times but so cheery, warm, and quirky book! The little things that were there really made it like the "I turn my head but the hood of the jacket is so fricking stiff I just end up turning my head inside the hood and not seeing anything" I can relate so hard it's ridiculous
4,5⭐️ I don't care what you say this was so funny I almost chocked multiple times!! Maybe it's just my humour... the environment and atmosphere was on point! There was constantly something happening, many endearing characters, Ginger!! I loved Scotland and I read this at a perfect time, all the stars aligned!✨🙂↕️ yes it was a bit cliched and miscommunication was present at times but so cheery, warm, and quirky book! The little things that were there really made it like the "I turn my head but the hood of the jacket is so fricking stiff I just end up turning my head inside the hood and not seeing anything" I can relate so hard it's ridiculous
July 25, 2024
I loved this book and will reread it at Christmas! The Scottish Highlands, an unlucky-in-love FMC, a gorgeous male chef at a gorgeous hotel, and of course, that stunning cover! Romance fans will love as much as I did. Enjoy!
October 7, 2024
Bolla Osbome has always been a go-to for holiday reads because she always incorporates Christmas, romance and a destination I want to be in. This time it was the Scottish Highlands, and once again it was a treat.
Olivia has had a run of bad luck with men so whon she meets Fraser on a dating app, she thinks things are finally
changing for the better Then he suddenly ghosts her and she has no clue why. She decides to find him and face him to figure out what went wrong so she heads off to the Scotlish Highlands, onty when she gots there, Fraser seems to have no idea who she is. She has an accident when she gets there and needs to rest for a couple of days. but Liv is a fixer at heart, so even though she cant understand whats happening with Fraser his business la struggling hotel with a restaurant in it) needs help, so while she is there, she agrees to help him out, thinking that the time spent with him will help her get to the bottom of the whole ghosting situation
There were a couple of extra subplots that were maybe unnecessary, but one thal was not was Eife and Lvi/s new friendship. I loved seeing that developing and how she was so protective of Fraser if youre a fan of the grumpy/sunshine trope like 1 am, youll enjoy this story Thanks to Aria Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review
Olivia has had a run of bad luck with men so whon she meets Fraser on a dating app, she thinks things are finally
changing for the better Then he suddenly ghosts her and she has no clue why. She decides to find him and face him to figure out what went wrong so she heads off to the Scotlish Highlands, onty when she gots there, Fraser seems to have no idea who she is. She has an accident when she gets there and needs to rest for a couple of days. but Liv is a fixer at heart, so even though she cant understand whats happening with Fraser his business la struggling hotel with a restaurant in it) needs help, so while she is there, she agrees to help him out, thinking that the time spent with him will help her get to the bottom of the whole ghosting situation
There were a couple of extra subplots that were maybe unnecessary, but one thal was not was Eife and Lvi/s new friendship. I loved seeing that developing and how she was so protective of Fraser if youre a fan of the grumpy/sunshine trope like 1 am, youll enjoy this story Thanks to Aria Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review
September 25, 2024
Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands
Publishing October 10, 2024
This story was absolutley adorable! This is a cute rom-com with no spice that takes place during Christmas in Scotland. The banter is top notch and I laughed so much.
Olivia “Liv” has had bad luck with finding the right man. She was previously ghosted and tried dating online. Only when she went to tell her friend and sister about it the man’s profile was deleted. She was ghosted again!
After moping around her mother mentioned finding the man. So she decided to go to the restaurant he worked at and call him out on his behavior. Only when she got there he didn’t recognize her.
Things fall apart and she is forced to stay there much longer than anticipated.
Thank you NetGalley and Aria & Aries for this arc!
Publishing October 10, 2024
This story was absolutley adorable! This is a cute rom-com with no spice that takes place during Christmas in Scotland. The banter is top notch and I laughed so much.
Olivia “Liv” has had bad luck with finding the right man. She was previously ghosted and tried dating online. Only when she went to tell her friend and sister about it the man’s profile was deleted. She was ghosted again!
After moping around her mother mentioned finding the man. So she decided to go to the restaurant he worked at and call him out on his behavior. Only when she got there he didn’t recognize her.
Things fall apart and she is forced to stay there much longer than anticipated.
Thank you NetGalley and Aria & Aries for this arc!
October 18, 2025
When the romance book ends with the hero essentially saying “I like you, sorry I was a jerk, but you were being crazy” !!!???!?!!!??
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this at all. There was very little romance/relationship development and it took me forever (11 months) to get through because nothing really happened plot-wise either. I would have loved to have this be a new Christmas romance recommendation, but I don’t know who would love this story for sole romance purposes? Maybe read if you really want a Scottish man to be a little mean to you?
Thank you to NetGalley, Aria, and Bella Osborne for a copy of this novel! — I really wish I could have enjoyed this more :(
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this at all. There was very little romance/relationship development and it took me forever (11 months) to get through because nothing really happened plot-wise either. I would have loved to have this be a new Christmas romance recommendation, but I don’t know who would love this story for sole romance purposes? Maybe read if you really want a Scottish man to be a little mean to you?
Thank you to NetGalley, Aria, and Bella Osborne for a copy of this novel! — I really wish I could have enjoyed this more :(
November 9, 2024
this seemed like a cute contemporary romance, but I just felt like it was too slow for me. it didn’t really go in the direction I thought it would and I was left feeling a little disappointed. I also couldn’t connect with any of the characters if I’m being completely honest.
thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the arc!!
thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the arc!!
October 24, 2024
What a wonderful story. I was really caught up on this one. Set in Scotland in the middle of nowhere, it really sets a festive theme. This was a funny book which had ne chuckling at times and I was sorry to finish it. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
December 30, 2024
Abandoned for now
I love a good Scottish Highland romance. It’s perhaps my top genre so imagine my delight when I come across another read where Scotland is featured as the main setting for a story.
After seeing this book on a few other posts from fellow readers, I decided to give it a chance.
Four chapters in, I am temporarily abandoning it. I plan to come back to it at another date/time, to give it a second chance. Abandoning a book is not something I typically do as a reader, as I usually push forward no matter how hard the read.
However, this was not the case this time around and here is why.
1.) The opening of the book — ghosting is an unfortunate part of modern day life on social media, but the way in which it was described/handled didn’t have me as gripped as if this were to happen say a bit further into the first chapter or even the second. The impromptu decision to go to Scotland to confront the said ghoster? It’s not something most people can—or would want to do—on a whim.
2.) Punctuation — I felt like there were crossed wires with this. There was lacking punctuation where there should have been some, and punctuation where none was necessary. It gave a stop/start feel to most paragraphs, not allowing for great flow of reading.
3.) Chaos — Having only read four chapters, a lot happened in such a short space of time and not in the way we usually like it to. Again, this kind of chaos better suits being in the second or third act of a story, not the first.
4.) Spoiler — I could be jumping the gun on this one, but I feel the ‘whodunnit’, for want of a word, was revealed far too early. Like the end of chapter one, early. It would have been better to find out who had been pretending to be Fraser a little further in so we could at least try and guess who it was as we read the story, progressing through nicely. I suppose the intention was for us to know something Fraser didn’t, but I wasn’t a fan of this early spoiler.
Those things aside, I feel that the comedy will be a redeeming factor—among the few others—when the time comes for me to go back and pick up where I have left the book for now.
There is hope yet.
I love a good Scottish Highland romance. It’s perhaps my top genre so imagine my delight when I come across another read where Scotland is featured as the main setting for a story.
After seeing this book on a few other posts from fellow readers, I decided to give it a chance.
Four chapters in, I am temporarily abandoning it. I plan to come back to it at another date/time, to give it a second chance. Abandoning a book is not something I typically do as a reader, as I usually push forward no matter how hard the read.
However, this was not the case this time around and here is why.
1.) The opening of the book — ghosting is an unfortunate part of modern day life on social media, but the way in which it was described/handled didn’t have me as gripped as if this were to happen say a bit further into the first chapter or even the second. The impromptu decision to go to Scotland to confront the said ghoster? It’s not something most people can—or would want to do—on a whim.
2.) Punctuation — I felt like there were crossed wires with this. There was lacking punctuation where there should have been some, and punctuation where none was necessary. It gave a stop/start feel to most paragraphs, not allowing for great flow of reading.
3.) Chaos — Having only read four chapters, a lot happened in such a short space of time and not in the way we usually like it to. Again, this kind of chaos better suits being in the second or third act of a story, not the first.
4.) Spoiler — I could be jumping the gun on this one, but I feel the ‘whodunnit’, for want of a word, was revealed far too early. Like the end of chapter one, early. It would have been better to find out who had been pretending to be Fraser a little further in so we could at least try and guess who it was as we read the story, progressing through nicely. I suppose the intention was for us to know something Fraser didn’t, but I wasn’t a fan of this early spoiler.
Those things aside, I feel that the comedy will be a redeeming factor—among the few others—when the time comes for me to go back and pick up where I have left the book for now.
There is hope yet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2024
This was such a cute and light-hearted festive romance that I ended up reading in one sitting! I've only read one other Bella Osborne book but now I want to read the rest of her backlog, especially her ones set around Christmas! I'm an absolute sucker for a festive romance!
I really liked the premise of this one and loved how chaotic but funny it was! The banter was on point and I really liked these characters, who all came with their own unique personalities and flaws which made them more realistic to me.
While I would have loved more romance, I really liked the dynamic between Olivia and Fraser who were very much the epitome of the sunshine x grumpy trope. I loved seeing their relationship develop as they got to know each other. I also really liked Olivia's friendship with Effie who was one of my favourite characters in the book. Their friendship just felt so wholesome and I loved it!
Overall a fun, quick and cute Christmas romance that I definitely recommend picking up!
I really liked the premise of this one and loved how chaotic but funny it was! The banter was on point and I really liked these characters, who all came with their own unique personalities and flaws which made them more realistic to me.
While I would have loved more romance, I really liked the dynamic between Olivia and Fraser who were very much the epitome of the sunshine x grumpy trope. I loved seeing their relationship develop as they got to know each other. I also really liked Olivia's friendship with Effie who was one of my favourite characters in the book. Their friendship just felt so wholesome and I loved it!
Overall a fun, quick and cute Christmas romance that I definitely recommend picking up!
December 17, 2024
3.5 stars but rounded up for the Scottish accents!
January 1, 2025
Lovely
I really enjoyed this book. It was to.meet Frasier.and Liv, along with the rest of the family. Lots of Christmas too.
I really enjoyed this book. It was to.meet Frasier.and Liv, along with the rest of the family. Lots of Christmas too.
October 23, 2024
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Bella Osborne is usually one of my go to authors and I was really looking forward to this book. Christmas in the Highlands, whats not to like. but unfortunately this one didn't really do it for me.
I struggled to relate to Olivia and had mixed feelings towards her. Fraser seemed a nice person, when he wasn't being a grump, but when they met I didn't really see any evidence of the spark that was supposed to be between them.
My favourite character, however, was Effie. She was so sweet and I'm glad Olivia was good with her especially when Fraser is so protective of her.
The descriptions of winter in the Highlands was good and I loved the addition of Ginger, the highland cow, some of her antics had me laughing out loud.
An easy Christmas read with grumpy/sunshine vibes.
Bella Osborne is usually one of my go to authors and I was really looking forward to this book. Christmas in the Highlands, whats not to like. but unfortunately this one didn't really do it for me.
I struggled to relate to Olivia and had mixed feelings towards her. Fraser seemed a nice person, when he wasn't being a grump, but when they met I didn't really see any evidence of the spark that was supposed to be between them.
My favourite character, however, was Effie. She was so sweet and I'm glad Olivia was good with her especially when Fraser is so protective of her.
The descriptions of winter in the Highlands was good and I loved the addition of Ginger, the highland cow, some of her antics had me laughing out loud.
An easy Christmas read with grumpy/sunshine vibes.
October 7, 2024
What a totally delightful read – ok, a word I’m perhaps overusing these days, but this really was a totally delicious and immensely enjoyable Christmassy read with a bit of everything I most enjoy.
Liv is understandably hurt when ghosted on-line by Fraser, who really did seem like the man she’d been searching for – but she’s also rather angry about it, tracks him down (with a little help from her support network), and decides to travel to the Highlands from her home in Blackburn, just before Christmas, to both find out why he did it and tell him what she thinks of him. On arrival, the hotel where he works proves not to be quite what she’s expecting, instead rather a work in progress – and instead of saying her bit and leaving again, the car she’s driving isn’t going anywhere very soon, she’s sustained some unfortunate injuries, and has decided it might just be better if she’s unable to remember her name for a while. The hotel is a long way from being ready for guests, but they find her a room and, in return, she finds herself helping the team prepare for the opening night of Fraser’s restaurant – dogged by disaster, and the plotting of a former girlfriend.
And I think that’s enough of the story – there are far more twists and turns before Liv’s mission is accomplished (well, if she still wants or needs to…) and she’s able to head for home again – and I’ll focus instead on why I enjoyed it so much. I was laughing from the opening pages, and the smile never left my face through all Liv’s many trials and tribulations – the author definitely turned up the comedy dial for this one, and I thought every single moment was perfectly judged. But there’s plenty of poignancy too – the supporting cast, that team I mentioned (using the term particularly loosely…) are quite wonderfully drawn, and from across the generations, and I did particularly love Liv’s friendship with Effie (and I just know everyone else will love her every bit as much as I did). There are a few intriguing subplots, one nicely echoing Liv’s experience of the perils of on-line relationships. And as Liv and Fraser’s romance, very steadily and with a lot of grumpy/sunshine, begins to look like an outside possibility again, there’s the mystery of what exactly happened when his online profile suddenly disappeared, and why her real name doesn’t seem to mean anything to him.
Add in Liv’s unusual travel companion, a Highland “coo” with a bit of an attitude and a penchant for classical music, an unexpectedly heavy snowfall, an off-duty policeman only too happy to whip out his bagpipes when the occasion demands it, all those wonderful Christmassy touches, a shared love of Mariah Carey, a dog who steals socks and a gang of pensioners who hope to help save the day – yes, I still have that smile on my face a few weeks after reading, and this was a book I absolutely loved. And as for that romance that could have been over before it really started – particularly slow-burn, but honestly everything I’d hoped it might be. As I said, totally delightful, and most definitely one of my Christmas books of the year – you will add it to your reading pile too, won’t you?
Liv is understandably hurt when ghosted on-line by Fraser, who really did seem like the man she’d been searching for – but she’s also rather angry about it, tracks him down (with a little help from her support network), and decides to travel to the Highlands from her home in Blackburn, just before Christmas, to both find out why he did it and tell him what she thinks of him. On arrival, the hotel where he works proves not to be quite what she’s expecting, instead rather a work in progress – and instead of saying her bit and leaving again, the car she’s driving isn’t going anywhere very soon, she’s sustained some unfortunate injuries, and has decided it might just be better if she’s unable to remember her name for a while. The hotel is a long way from being ready for guests, but they find her a room and, in return, she finds herself helping the team prepare for the opening night of Fraser’s restaurant – dogged by disaster, and the plotting of a former girlfriend.
And I think that’s enough of the story – there are far more twists and turns before Liv’s mission is accomplished (well, if she still wants or needs to…) and she’s able to head for home again – and I’ll focus instead on why I enjoyed it so much. I was laughing from the opening pages, and the smile never left my face through all Liv’s many trials and tribulations – the author definitely turned up the comedy dial for this one, and I thought every single moment was perfectly judged. But there’s plenty of poignancy too – the supporting cast, that team I mentioned (using the term particularly loosely…) are quite wonderfully drawn, and from across the generations, and I did particularly love Liv’s friendship with Effie (and I just know everyone else will love her every bit as much as I did). There are a few intriguing subplots, one nicely echoing Liv’s experience of the perils of on-line relationships. And as Liv and Fraser’s romance, very steadily and with a lot of grumpy/sunshine, begins to look like an outside possibility again, there’s the mystery of what exactly happened when his online profile suddenly disappeared, and why her real name doesn’t seem to mean anything to him.
Add in Liv’s unusual travel companion, a Highland “coo” with a bit of an attitude and a penchant for classical music, an unexpectedly heavy snowfall, an off-duty policeman only too happy to whip out his bagpipes when the occasion demands it, all those wonderful Christmassy touches, a shared love of Mariah Carey, a dog who steals socks and a gang of pensioners who hope to help save the day – yes, I still have that smile on my face a few weeks after reading, and this was a book I absolutely loved. And as for that romance that could have been over before it really started – particularly slow-burn, but honestly everything I’d hoped it might be. As I said, totally delightful, and most definitely one of my Christmas books of the year – you will add it to your reading pile too, won’t you?
July 30, 2024
A funny and sweet story . Liv is texting with a great guy who has matched on a dating app and suddenly his profile is deleted .She thought they had something special . Now with all the information she has she will travel to Scotland to find him and receive an explaination . When she arrives at Frazer's hotel where he is the chef she has an accident and get het ankle and head hit . It also snows and the roads close so she has to stay until they are open . Frazer doesn't seem to know her and whe she tells his about the profile he doesn't believe her . Will they find who set the profile and will they give themselves a chance to love ?
I received this book from netgalley , the author and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .
I received this book from netgalley , the author and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .
November 30, 2024
Romance: ❤️/5
Christmas atmosphere: 🎄🎄/5
Overall: ⭐⭐,5/5
Tyjo tohle bylo, jak se tak říká, all over the place. Mám pocit, že jsem četla dvě, možná tři knihy v jedné. Možná by tomu prospěla nějaká editace? Nevím. Nehledě na to, že ač se to četlo dobře, místy ten děj byl poněkud nesmyslný.
Nápad je dobrý - Liv se seznámí přes aplikaci s Fraserem ze Skotska, skvěle si sednou, píšou si.. až jednoho dne celý Fraserův profil zmizí. A Liv se rozhodne, že ho do Skotska pojede konfrontovat. Jenže i když okolnosti sedí - jméno, místo, jeho oblíbené věci, Fraser Liv nepoznává. Hraje to na ní? Nebo se stalo něco jiného?
Začátek pobytu ve Skotsku (a na hradě) pro Liv nezačne dobře, ona předstírá amnézii (spadla, praštila se do hlavy), aby měla trochu výhodu nad Fraserem. Tím pádem nemůže hned odjet, jsou do toho další okolnosti, zapadají sněhem.. zkrátka Liv zůstává jako nechtěný host v uzavřeném, rozpadajícím se hotelu na hradě. Během pár dní ji amnézie zázračně přejde, nikdo nic nerozporuje a protože jsou zapadaný, pořád zůstává na hradě. Mezitím na hrad přibydou další tři nechtění hosté, kteří se tam schovají před počasím. Liv je v tu dobu už v podstatě skoro člen rodiny 🤷🏻♀️. Pomáhá starat se o "hosty", kamarádí se s Effie, sestřenicí Frasera a moc se nesnaží zjistit jak to vlastně bylo s Fraserem.
"Hosté" nakonec nadšený odjedou a začíná další část knihy. Fraser se snaží otevřít restauraci, Liv čeká na zlepšení počasí.. no uděje se tam toho mnohem víc. Včetně toho, že Liv zatknou, objeví se arogantní ex, důchodci přijdou pomáhat do restaurace.. chvílemi se to snad proměňuje v komedii. Lehce na úkor soudržnosti děje.
Effie, což je kapitola sama pro sebe - nejsem si jistá, jestli je prostě jen svá, nebo byla napsaná jako lehce autistická nebo tak, každopádně chvíli se chová výstředně a chvíli jak kdyby na to autorka zapomněla a je prudce inteligentní - se nechá napálit klasickým scamem, kdy ji píše muž, se kterým se seznámí, zamiluje se a nakonec po ní chce peníze. Liv to nakonec zaonačí tak, že její kamarád hacker pošle tomu muži virus, co mu zničí počítač. Když zná hackera a je v koncích s tím, kdo založil Fraserův profil, proč ho nepožádá o pomoc?
Další kapitola je romance, která tam vzniká vlastně z ničeho, Fraser je dost nepříjemný, v jednu chvíli i Liv vyhodí z hradu.. no stejně to nakonec dopadne dobře. Jak se zamilovali je záhada.
Jako nebylo to špatné, jak říkám, četlo se to docela dobře, ale zároveň to bylo nějak splácaný do sebe a ještě ke všemu skoro bez vánoční atmosféry 😁. I to závěrečné odhalení co se tedy stalo bylo přitažené za vlasy a vlastně když nad tím přemýšlím, bylo to dost hnusný od té osoby.
Christmas atmosphere: 🎄🎄/5
Overall: ⭐⭐,5/5
Tyjo tohle bylo, jak se tak říká, all over the place. Mám pocit, že jsem četla dvě, možná tři knihy v jedné. Možná by tomu prospěla nějaká editace? Nevím. Nehledě na to, že ač se to četlo dobře, místy ten děj byl poněkud nesmyslný.
Nápad je dobrý - Liv se seznámí přes aplikaci s Fraserem ze Skotska, skvěle si sednou, píšou si.. až jednoho dne celý Fraserův profil zmizí. A Liv se rozhodne, že ho do Skotska pojede konfrontovat. Jenže i když okolnosti sedí - jméno, místo, jeho oblíbené věci, Fraser Liv nepoznává. Hraje to na ní? Nebo se stalo něco jiného?
Začátek pobytu ve Skotsku (a na hradě) pro Liv nezačne dobře, ona předstírá amnézii (spadla, praštila se do hlavy), aby měla trochu výhodu nad Fraserem. Tím pádem nemůže hned odjet, jsou do toho další okolnosti, zapadají sněhem.. zkrátka Liv zůstává jako nechtěný host v uzavřeném, rozpadajícím se hotelu na hradě. Během pár dní ji amnézie zázračně přejde, nikdo nic nerozporuje a protože jsou zapadaný, pořád zůstává na hradě. Mezitím na hrad přibydou další tři nechtění hosté, kteří se tam schovají před počasím. Liv je v tu dobu už v podstatě skoro člen rodiny 🤷🏻♀️. Pomáhá starat se o "hosty", kamarádí se s Effie, sestřenicí Frasera a moc se nesnaží zjistit jak to vlastně bylo s Fraserem.
"Hosté" nakonec nadšený odjedou a začíná další část knihy. Fraser se snaží otevřít restauraci, Liv čeká na zlepšení počasí.. no uděje se tam toho mnohem víc. Včetně toho, že Liv zatknou, objeví se arogantní ex, důchodci přijdou pomáhat do restaurace.. chvílemi se to snad proměňuje v komedii. Lehce na úkor soudržnosti děje.
Effie, což je kapitola sama pro sebe - nejsem si jistá, jestli je prostě jen svá, nebo byla napsaná jako lehce autistická nebo tak, každopádně chvíli se chová výstředně a chvíli jak kdyby na to autorka zapomněla a je prudce inteligentní - se nechá napálit klasickým scamem, kdy ji píše muž, se kterým se seznámí, zamiluje se a nakonec po ní chce peníze. Liv to nakonec zaonačí tak, že její kamarád hacker pošle tomu muži virus, co mu zničí počítač. Když zná hackera a je v koncích s tím, kdo založil Fraserův profil, proč ho nepožádá o pomoc?
Další kapitola je romance, která tam vzniká vlastně z ničeho, Fraser je dost nepříjemný, v jednu chvíli i Liv vyhodí z hradu.. no stejně to nakonec dopadne dobře. Jak se zamilovali je záhada.
Jako nebylo to špatné, jak říkám, četlo se to docela dobře, ale zároveň to bylo nějak splácaný do sebe a ještě ke všemu skoro bez vánoční atmosféry 😁. I to závěrečné odhalení co se tedy stalo bylo přitažené za vlasy a vlastně když nad tím přemýšlím, bylo to dost hnusný od té osoby.
October 10, 2024
Olivia met Fraser on a dating app and then he ghosted her. So Olivia decides to confront him but when she meets him in person she’s in for a complete surprise.
This book certainly lived up to the title because it was definitely filled with mistletoe magic in the Highlands. The story was sweet, cute and with some quirky characters.
I have to say that Olivia (Liv) definitely made an impression on me as a character. When we meet her she’s a little bit upset. She meets Fraser on a dating app, they bond and get on really well, especially over their love for Mariah Carey and then he ghosts her by deleting his profile. Anyone else in Liv’s shoes would have moved on. But not Liv. This is the second time that she’s been ghosted and this time she's really not happy about it so she drives to Loch Lochy Hotel to give Fraser a piece of her mind. I thought that Liv was very brave when she decided to do this. But when she meets Fraser in person she makes an unexpected discovery. Fraser may look like his profile picture but he’s not the same person she’s been speaking to. His personality is completely different and he has no idea who she is. But Liv doesn’t give up. When she’s stranded at the hotel and pretends to have amnesia she decides that she will get the truth from him.
I really loved the banter between Liv and Fraser. They really get on each other’s nerves but give as good as they get when it comes to calling out the other. Fraser couldn’t make it any clearer that he isn’t interested in Liv which makes Liv even angrier and Fraser’s grumpy nature makes things worse. Before Liv knows it she’s been encompassed into the hotel family and starts helping to promote and make Fraser’s restaurant a success. It was interesting to see how Liv connected with all of the characters in the book. With Fraser they start to warm to each other the more time they spend together. When the real reason behind Liv being ghosted was revealed it really took be by surprise. It was a plot twist I wasn't expecting. I loved seeing the friendship between Liv and Effie grow. They found a sisterly bond in a very short period of time. One of my favourite scenes was when Effie locks Liv and Fraser in a cupboard so that they can work out their differences.
This book certainly lived up to the title because it was definitely filled with mistletoe magic in the Highlands. The story was sweet, cute and with some quirky characters.
I have to say that Olivia (Liv) definitely made an impression on me as a character. When we meet her she’s a little bit upset. She meets Fraser on a dating app, they bond and get on really well, especially over their love for Mariah Carey and then he ghosts her by deleting his profile. Anyone else in Liv’s shoes would have moved on. But not Liv. This is the second time that she’s been ghosted and this time she's really not happy about it so she drives to Loch Lochy Hotel to give Fraser a piece of her mind. I thought that Liv was very brave when she decided to do this. But when she meets Fraser in person she makes an unexpected discovery. Fraser may look like his profile picture but he’s not the same person she’s been speaking to. His personality is completely different and he has no idea who she is. But Liv doesn’t give up. When she’s stranded at the hotel and pretends to have amnesia she decides that she will get the truth from him.
I really loved the banter between Liv and Fraser. They really get on each other’s nerves but give as good as they get when it comes to calling out the other. Fraser couldn’t make it any clearer that he isn’t interested in Liv which makes Liv even angrier and Fraser’s grumpy nature makes things worse. Before Liv knows it she’s been encompassed into the hotel family and starts helping to promote and make Fraser’s restaurant a success. It was interesting to see how Liv connected with all of the characters in the book. With Fraser they start to warm to each other the more time they spend together. When the real reason behind Liv being ghosted was revealed it really took be by surprise. It was a plot twist I wasn't expecting. I loved seeing the friendship between Liv and Effie grow. They found a sisterly bond in a very short period of time. One of my favourite scenes was when Effie locks Liv and Fraser in a cupboard so that they can work out their differences.
October 23, 2024
I would like to thank Netgalley, Aries and Aria and Bella Osborne for the E ARC of this book.
Olivia thinks she has found the man for her, they have been texting using an online dating app and then he is gone, she has been ghosted. This is not the first time it has happened but it will be the last, she is going to take action. With the help of her Mother and Sister she sets off to confront Fraser Douglas.
The drive to the Scottish Highlands takes her longer than she expects and when a tyre puncture stops her in her tracks less than ½ a mile from the hotel he works in, it means she has to walk in the rain and snow. She is then confronted with a highland cow. She is rescued by Effie and her Grandmother, both relatives of Fraser. When she does meets Fraser, he is just as he came across online, and he doesn’t recognise her, why?
Due to the weather Olivia has to spend time at the hotel along with some others who are stranded due to the weather. Fraser says they can stay but everyone has to muck in and help. This is maybe not as successful as he hoped.
Fraser has a big event planned for a couple of days’ time and needs all the help he can get but when his staff resign what is he going to do? Can Olivia help?
A fun read that kept me engaged thorough out. I like Olivia, she had so much to give and really wanted to help. Effie was a delightful character who although a bit naive had a heart of gold. Fraser was a bit grumpy but as you got to know him and his back story you understood why.
Olivia thinks she has found the man for her, they have been texting using an online dating app and then he is gone, she has been ghosted. This is not the first time it has happened but it will be the last, she is going to take action. With the help of her Mother and Sister she sets off to confront Fraser Douglas.
The drive to the Scottish Highlands takes her longer than she expects and when a tyre puncture stops her in her tracks less than ½ a mile from the hotel he works in, it means she has to walk in the rain and snow. She is then confronted with a highland cow. She is rescued by Effie and her Grandmother, both relatives of Fraser. When she does meets Fraser, he is just as he came across online, and he doesn’t recognise her, why?
Due to the weather Olivia has to spend time at the hotel along with some others who are stranded due to the weather. Fraser says they can stay but everyone has to muck in and help. This is maybe not as successful as he hoped.
Fraser has a big event planned for a couple of days’ time and needs all the help he can get but when his staff resign what is he going to do? Can Olivia help?
A fun read that kept me engaged thorough out. I like Olivia, she had so much to give and really wanted to help. Effie was a delightful character who although a bit naive had a heart of gold. Fraser was a bit grumpy but as you got to know him and his back story you understood why.
December 1, 2024
Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands by Bella Osborne had a promising premise and a picturesque setting that initially drew me in. The idea of a holiday romance unfolding amidst the stunning backdrop of the Scottish Highlands seemed like the perfect recipe for a heartwarming tale. However, the execution left much to be desired. The chemistry between the two main characters, which is crucial for any romance novel, was notably absent. Their interactions felt forced and lacked the spark needed to make their relationship believable and engaging. The narrative seemed to meander without a clear direction, failing to deliver the emotional depth that one would expect from a love story set against such a magical setting.
Moreover, I struggled to connect with either of the protagonists. Their character development felt superficial, and their motivations were often unclear or inconsistent. Without a strong emotional anchor, it was difficult to become invested in their journey or root for their eventual happiness. The dialogue, which should have been a source of charm and wit, often fell flat, further diminishing the overall impact of the story. While Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands had the potential to be a delightful holiday read, it ultimately did not come together in a way that resonated with me, leaving it as a rather forgettable entry in the romance genre.
Thank you to Netgalley and Publishers for giving me a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Moreover, I struggled to connect with either of the protagonists. Their character development felt superficial, and their motivations were often unclear or inconsistent. Without a strong emotional anchor, it was difficult to become invested in their journey or root for their eventual happiness. The dialogue, which should have been a source of charm and wit, often fell flat, further diminishing the overall impact of the story. While Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands had the potential to be a delightful holiday read, it ultimately did not come together in a way that resonated with me, leaving it as a rather forgettable entry in the romance genre.
Thank you to Netgalley and Publishers for giving me a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2025
What a cozy holiday read with a magical setting. I really enjoyed the cast of characters all with their own defined personalities and quirks. This includes the fabled hotel ghost and the adorable young highland cow. I'm grinning again - such a heartwarming read.
The romance was sweet with the happily ever after expected for a holiday romcom. I was laughing throughout the whole book - so many great comical moments. The sprinkling of Scottish lore and phrases was the cherry on top. I really enjoyed this one and will gladly read more from Bella Osborne.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the Aria & Aries imprint of Head of Zeus publisher for my digital copy.
The romance was sweet with the happily ever after expected for a holiday romcom. I was laughing throughout the whole book - so many great comical moments. The sprinkling of Scottish lore and phrases was the cherry on top. I really enjoyed this one and will gladly read more from Bella Osborne.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the Aria & Aries imprint of Head of Zeus publisher for my digital copy.
December 17, 2024
It's a shame this book is likely to get overlooked this season by the slew of holiday romances by more popular or well known authors but I utterly adored this forced proximity, dual POV, snowed in kissing only romcom set in a rundown Scottish BnB. I love a good underdog story and a book with a memorable cast of quirky characters. This book has heart, neurodiversity rep, misunderstandings, a mischievous Highland Coo and just feels like a big cozy hug while reading. It was also good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Jenny Colgan or Beth O'Leary. 10/10 recommend!
October 9, 2024
It's a Bella Osborne book, so obviously it's going to be a fat five stars review! I have adored every, single book she's written that I've read so far.
I have spent so much time in the Scottish Highlands of late - purely for bookish reasons - and it's fast become my favourite place for festive fiction. The snow and the promise of a Highland cow or two was a winner too!
It's a gorgeous Christmas read that follows Olivia and Fraser on their journey to romance. It's heartwarming feel good fiction at its finest. The characters are cute and the story was an absolute joy to read.
I have spent so much time in the Scottish Highlands of late - purely for bookish reasons - and it's fast become my favourite place for festive fiction. The snow and the promise of a Highland cow or two was a winner too!
It's a gorgeous Christmas read that follows Olivia and Fraser on their journey to romance. It's heartwarming feel good fiction at its finest. The characters are cute and the story was an absolute joy to read.
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