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The Little Gift Shop on the Loch
Home is where the heart is…
Lily Ballantine is still reeling from losing her job and the man she’s head over heels for all in one afternoon! So with her pride in tatters, she leaves the city behind her for the charming Scottish village of Carroch.
Bequeathed the tiny gift shop by her late, free-spirited mother, she only intends to stay until she sells the place – but instead, finds herself falling for the beautiful shop, the stray cat called Misty… and the rather handsome local, Jack Armstrong.
Lily’s not looking for love, but as the little gift shop weaves its magic around her heart, she wonders whether her mother might just have left her the greatest gift of all?
Lily Ballantine is still reeling from losing her job and the man she’s head over heels for all in one afternoon! So with her pride in tatters, she leaves the city behind her for the charming Scottish village of Carroch.
Bequeathed the tiny gift shop by her late, free-spirited mother, she only intends to stay until she sells the place – but instead, finds herself falling for the beautiful shop, the stray cat called Misty… and the rather handsome local, Jack Armstrong.
Lily’s not looking for love, but as the little gift shop weaves its magic around her heart, she wonders whether her mother might just have left her the greatest gift of all?
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 31, 2019
117 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Conway
4 books14 followersMaggie lived the first ten years of life in London before moving to Scotland. She has a degree in English Literature and spent many years working in offices dreaming of pursuing her passion for writing.
A perfect day would include an early morning swim, a good coffee, a great book and a few hours spent writing before the chaos of a husband, three children, a dog and a cat begins.
Having landed the role of chief dog walker, she spends far too much time roaming the streets but at least this gives her a chance to think up new storylines.
A perfect day would include an early morning swim, a good coffee, a great book and a few hours spent writing before the chaos of a husband, three children, a dog and a cat begins.
Having landed the role of chief dog walker, she spends far too much time roaming the streets but at least this gives her a chance to think up new storylines.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
June 30, 2019
Lily Ballantine certainly wasn’t expecting to be fired from her job— but being terminated by the guy she had a crush on was salt in the wound. Hurt and scrambling, she packs up and heads out to the Scottish village of Carroch to the place she’s been avoiding: the gift shop left behind in her mother’s will. She’ll stay long enough to sell it and move on … but the shop just might lead to a greater gift than she ever could have imagined.
Author Maggie Conway opens with Lily sitting at her highest point. She’s an accountant, content in her job, even if she’s playing it a little safe. Yet by the end of the first chapter, she’s plummeted— rock bottom low. Rebuffed romantically. Jobless. And questioning the safeguards she’s placed in her life. These moments are uncomfortable to read (compelling failure always is), but Lily is such a likable character that it’s impossible not to cheer her on and hope that she pulls everything together.
And this rests on one of Conway’s many major strengths: her characters are not only authentic, but irresistible. Lily bounces into the tiny village of Carroch intent on selling some property, and yet she’s immediately caught up in a small cast who are hard not to fall for as they swap, share, and weave new stories. And, of course, there’s a hint of potential love. Jack, who runs the local activities center, practically pings with his connection to Lily.
Above all of this looms Lily’s mother and the gift shop itself. It’s bluntly placed that the relationship between mother and daughter was strained, and Lily struggles in processing her grief. These moments, of simple, unrestrained exploration of life and family are beautiful. That these points carefully coincide with Lily’s own personal growth just proves that Conway is a master storyteller.
Carroch seems like a lovely place to visit. Its denizens are beyond charming. Yet it’s Conway and her skillful crafting of Lily that make The Little Gift Shop on the Loch worth visiting.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
Author Maggie Conway opens with Lily sitting at her highest point. She’s an accountant, content in her job, even if she’s playing it a little safe. Yet by the end of the first chapter, she’s plummeted— rock bottom low. Rebuffed romantically. Jobless. And questioning the safeguards she’s placed in her life. These moments are uncomfortable to read (compelling failure always is), but Lily is such a likable character that it’s impossible not to cheer her on and hope that she pulls everything together.
And this rests on one of Conway’s many major strengths: her characters are not only authentic, but irresistible. Lily bounces into the tiny village of Carroch intent on selling some property, and yet she’s immediately caught up in a small cast who are hard not to fall for as they swap, share, and weave new stories. And, of course, there’s a hint of potential love. Jack, who runs the local activities center, practically pings with his connection to Lily.
Above all of this looms Lily’s mother and the gift shop itself. It’s bluntly placed that the relationship between mother and daughter was strained, and Lily struggles in processing her grief. These moments, of simple, unrestrained exploration of life and family are beautiful. That these points carefully coincide with Lily’s own personal growth just proves that Conway is a master storyteller.
Carroch seems like a lovely place to visit. Its denizens are beyond charming. Yet it’s Conway and her skillful crafting of Lily that make The Little Gift Shop on the Loch worth visiting.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
August 13, 2019
Utterly predictable but enjoyable nonetheless.
August 22, 2019
Light, enjoyable story. Exactly what I needed after the last book.
May 28, 2019
Thank you NetGalley, HQ Digital and Maggie Conway for this free advanced digital copy.
I am so happy I stumbled across The Little Gift Shop on the Loch. This was such a feel good, charming, sweet story.
Lilly has just been let go from her job, a job she very much loved. So with her wounded pride she heads north to Carroch, a little Scottish village on the Loch. A place she hasn’t returned to since her mother past. As Lily is feeling lost and much heartache while trying to clean out her mother’s charming shop, thinking she is going to sale and head back to Edinburgh, she finds herself falling for the beautiful shop and Jack our sexy Scottish highlander.
While this story was predictable, it was still very much enjoyable and I absolutely could not put it down. I loved all the characters even the cat Misty. And the location was so beautifully described that I absolutely fell in love with this charming little village.
Maggie Conway is a new to me author but I will definitely be checking out her previous books. I am also very much hoping a return to Carroch for more stories from a couple of her other characters. (Adam, hint hint)
I am so happy I stumbled across The Little Gift Shop on the Loch. This was such a feel good, charming, sweet story.
Lilly has just been let go from her job, a job she very much loved. So with her wounded pride she heads north to Carroch, a little Scottish village on the Loch. A place she hasn’t returned to since her mother past. As Lily is feeling lost and much heartache while trying to clean out her mother’s charming shop, thinking she is going to sale and head back to Edinburgh, she finds herself falling for the beautiful shop and Jack our sexy Scottish highlander.
While this story was predictable, it was still very much enjoyable and I absolutely could not put it down. I loved all the characters even the cat Misty. And the location was so beautifully described that I absolutely fell in love with this charming little village.
Maggie Conway is a new to me author but I will definitely be checking out her previous books. I am also very much hoping a return to Carroch for more stories from a couple of her other characters. (Adam, hint hint)
May 25, 2019
The Little Gift Shop On The Loch by Maggie Conway is a most delightful contemporary tale about finding your true identity.
Too often we rush through life immersed in our jobs but never really discovering what is really important. “How easy it was to rush around, never stopping to appreciate something simple.” Within the novel an unexpected redundancy becomes a new opportunity. What starts as an escape to lick one’s wounds soon becomes the lifeline to a new dream.
The story is about loss. “Time was meant to be a healer but… it wasn’t. You simply found ways of dealing with it.” Sometimes we become so busy to avoid facing our loss. Sooner or later we must slow down and meet our loss face to face. Losing loved ones hurts but the blow is softened by knowing how much they loved and how much they were loved by others.
There is a wonderful community feel to the tale. Small town living means people pull together. They welcome strangers into their midst. This warm feeling contrasts with the cold anonymity of city living.
A cat, Misty, completes a house, turning it into a home, after it has taken up residence in a heart.
Big corporations threaten the fabric of small town living. Some change is good as we need to adapt or die.
I really enjoyed my visit to The Little Gift Shop On The Loch. I could not put the book down and read it in just one sitting. Why not escape for a few hours to a Scottish loch and recharge your batteries? You will be glad you did.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
Too often we rush through life immersed in our jobs but never really discovering what is really important. “How easy it was to rush around, never stopping to appreciate something simple.” Within the novel an unexpected redundancy becomes a new opportunity. What starts as an escape to lick one’s wounds soon becomes the lifeline to a new dream.
The story is about loss. “Time was meant to be a healer but… it wasn’t. You simply found ways of dealing with it.” Sometimes we become so busy to avoid facing our loss. Sooner or later we must slow down and meet our loss face to face. Losing loved ones hurts but the blow is softened by knowing how much they loved and how much they were loved by others.
There is a wonderful community feel to the tale. Small town living means people pull together. They welcome strangers into their midst. This warm feeling contrasts with the cold anonymity of city living.
A cat, Misty, completes a house, turning it into a home, after it has taken up residence in a heart.
Big corporations threaten the fabric of small town living. Some change is good as we need to adapt or die.
I really enjoyed my visit to The Little Gift Shop On The Loch. I could not put the book down and read it in just one sitting. Why not escape for a few hours to a Scottish loch and recharge your batteries? You will be glad you did.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
June 5, 2019
Enjoyed the book. It was a fun read. Throughout the whole book I was hoping Lily would stay in Loch Carroch and open the gift shop. She seemed so determined to to sell it and get back to her apartment and old life even though she no longer had a job. The gift shop was the perfect place, a ready made job and it came with a cute kitty. I do not know how she was able to swim in the loch every morning. I think I would have only manged a toe. Loved getting to know Lucy and Jack. It was a feel good book with a little romance and great characters.
Definitely recommend the book. I wouldn't mind another book to see what everyone is up to in Loch Carroch. Look forward to reading more books by the author. Loved the cover of the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from HQ Digital through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Definitely recommend the book. I wouldn't mind another book to see what everyone is up to in Loch Carroch. Look forward to reading more books by the author. Loved the cover of the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from HQ Digital through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 5, 2020
A delightful book set in a small Scottish village, Carroch; where Lily spent get holidays as a child. After losing her Mum a year before and then being made redundant, she finds herself having to return to Carroch to deal with a shop and flat her Mum had left her.
Intending to pack everything up and sell, she arrives to find a stray cat who had chosen to make the flat her home and was being looked after by someone Lily had known as a child.
Walking round the village, Lily starts to see it in a different light, could she make a life for herself there? With an estate agent intent on buying the property though, would she be silly not to just sell and move on?
A lovely story with romance thrown in, what's not to like? I really enjoyed reading this book ands recommend it.
Intending to pack everything up and sell, she arrives to find a stray cat who had chosen to make the flat her home and was being looked after by someone Lily had known as a child.
Walking round the village, Lily starts to see it in a different light, could she make a life for herself there? With an estate agent intent on buying the property though, would she be silly not to just sell and move on?
A lovely story with romance thrown in, what's not to like? I really enjoyed reading this book ands recommend it.
May 29, 2019
I loved this , it’s happiness in a book. I admit I adore Scotland so this is perfect for me. But it has loveable characters, lovely slow burn romance, a couple you really want together and happiness. A lovely feel good book and perfect summer read. Highly recommended.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
October 16, 2019
Such a cosy and lovely read! It's the type of book you want to read under a warm blanket with a hot latte... First time for me to read a book by Maggie Conway and I am very happy I decided to pick up this book! It was really really good! Very well written with very lovely characters, and it was very nice to be by a lake in Scotland. It's my dream to go there and I almost could feel I was there! I really liked the plot of this story, the doubts that the main characters has and the way she works her way up to her final decision. Perfect story! I highly recommend it!
August 29, 2021
i wanted a quick light read to get me through food poisoning and this cute book hit the spot
June 21, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley for a pre publication copy. In return for an honest review!
Lily works in Bremners department store as an accountant however when Dunn equity takes over the running, due to financial insecurity, Lily finds herself working with the handsome James. He makes Lily believe he has sparked a romance in her and that her job and love life are secure. Although In the next breath Lily finds herself being made redundant.
Therefore She moves to Loch Carroch to organise her late mothers estate where she finds how delightful the people and the loch is. Lily meets Jack Armstrong the most down to the earth man ever known. As her life progresses in Carroch Lily decides she will not sell the gift shop as per her original plan, until all stock is gone. Whilst the shop is open she finds many secrets about her mother which unconsciously draw her to the loch. Lily goes through the emotions of redundancy, death, secrets and of course love with Jack.
CHARACTERS.
-The characters are well thought about and make you feel you have a relationship with them
- Although the first few chapters are about Lilys work at Bremners there is no mention of her mother. Suddenly a few chapters in her mother is dead and she is talking to Mr Bell about the estate = ?who is he and where has the mother been. This makes it slightly confusing
PLOT
-Nice light hearted plot
-True summer romance with all the twists and turns to make you keep reading
WRITING
- However Many spelling and grammatical errors which detract from the flow of the book
Lily works in Bremners department store as an accountant however when Dunn equity takes over the running, due to financial insecurity, Lily finds herself working with the handsome James. He makes Lily believe he has sparked a romance in her and that her job and love life are secure. Although In the next breath Lily finds herself being made redundant.
Therefore She moves to Loch Carroch to organise her late mothers estate where she finds how delightful the people and the loch is. Lily meets Jack Armstrong the most down to the earth man ever known. As her life progresses in Carroch Lily decides she will not sell the gift shop as per her original plan, until all stock is gone. Whilst the shop is open she finds many secrets about her mother which unconsciously draw her to the loch. Lily goes through the emotions of redundancy, death, secrets and of course love with Jack.
CHARACTERS.
-The characters are well thought about and make you feel you have a relationship with them
- Although the first few chapters are about Lilys work at Bremners there is no mention of her mother. Suddenly a few chapters in her mother is dead and she is talking to Mr Bell about the estate = ?who is he and where has the mother been. This makes it slightly confusing
PLOT
-Nice light hearted plot
-True summer romance with all the twists and turns to make you keep reading
WRITING
- However Many spelling and grammatical errors which detract from the flow of the book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2019
I have received an ARC version of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You know when you find that book that you wont put down even though you have a whole lot of other things to do?
The Little Gift Shop is quite this book!
The eternal quest of finding that 'gold middle' in your life is a dream for many people even though they don't realize that. Through Lily's character the writer manages to depict this life question in a very sweet and counseling way not making feeling guilty any of us for any of our choices.
I liked the fact that Lily in searching her new self didn't entirely throw away her old self. She was still an accountant and she would use her skills to help her new self as well as some newfound friends.
I also very much liked the setting of this book - Scottish Highlands and beautiful descriptions of the lake and this picturesque village. This is something I adored in the book - the writer didn't need 100 pages to describe something. In a very 'clean', straight but yet appealing and wonderful way with words I could imagine myself in that part of Scotland and in that mesmerizing nature even though I have no connection whatsoever with Scotland.
It was also a very important fact for me that the writer didn't dwell in outlining the love relationship as much as portraying the relationship of 'Lily with Lily' and finding that ultimate understanding of your parent/s in that very special moment in life that all of us that lost one parent can find themselves.
But the most important thing that really made me think about all the worrying in my life was that this book manages to make you question yourself and gives you some extreme motivation if you want to change your life in any way possible. If you're not happy with your life don't be afraid of a change! Embrace it!
I can see that the writer set this book and other characters in it in a way that could develop really nicely and I would for sure like to see more stories from this sublime part of the world.
You know when you find that book that you wont put down even though you have a whole lot of other things to do?
The Little Gift Shop is quite this book!
The eternal quest of finding that 'gold middle' in your life is a dream for many people even though they don't realize that. Through Lily's character the writer manages to depict this life question in a very sweet and counseling way not making feeling guilty any of us for any of our choices.
I liked the fact that Lily in searching her new self didn't entirely throw away her old self. She was still an accountant and she would use her skills to help her new self as well as some newfound friends.
I also very much liked the setting of this book - Scottish Highlands and beautiful descriptions of the lake and this picturesque village. This is something I adored in the book - the writer didn't need 100 pages to describe something. In a very 'clean', straight but yet appealing and wonderful way with words I could imagine myself in that part of Scotland and in that mesmerizing nature even though I have no connection whatsoever with Scotland.
It was also a very important fact for me that the writer didn't dwell in outlining the love relationship as much as portraying the relationship of 'Lily with Lily' and finding that ultimate understanding of your parent/s in that very special moment in life that all of us that lost one parent can find themselves.
But the most important thing that really made me think about all the worrying in my life was that this book manages to make you question yourself and gives you some extreme motivation if you want to change your life in any way possible. If you're not happy with your life don't be afraid of a change! Embrace it!
I can see that the writer set this book and other characters in it in a way that could develop really nicely and I would for sure like to see more stories from this sublime part of the world.
May 28, 2019
I think it's fair to say that Lily likes her life to fit into certain parameters. She enjoys the routine and knowing where her career is headed. She is more than shocked when her her imaginary romance and promotion all fall flat in a matter of moments when she is fired by the man of her dreams. All of her plans disappear in flash.
She travels up to Carroch to deal with the small shop her mother bequeathed to her in her will. The differences between mother and child become quite clear as the story evolves. How did the free-spirited mother manage to raise such a structured and rule loving child?
Lily doesn't expect to make connections in such an isolated and yet superbly quaint village, where everyone knows your name and nobody is a stranger. She most definitely doesn't expect to find somebody she is attracted to. Oh, and let's not forget the pesky wee cat who comes with the shop.
It's all about Lily learning to enjoy what life has to offer no matter where she is at any moment in time. Learning to take a breath and see, and not just build her life around her career. The result is a heartfelt exploration of the person she thought her mother was and who she was for the people around her. Those two pictures are completely different, something Lily has to come to terms with.
It's light on the heart-wrenching emotions and romance, it's the perfect mixture of both. The kind of read that doesn't ask for a piece of your soul and instead just invites you in for a nice cup of tea and piece of cake. It's contemporary romance, an uplifting and delightful read.
I wonder if that's the last we will hear from the small community of Carroch. There are plenty of threads and characters to follow up with.
*I received a courtesy copy*
She travels up to Carroch to deal with the small shop her mother bequeathed to her in her will. The differences between mother and child become quite clear as the story evolves. How did the free-spirited mother manage to raise such a structured and rule loving child?
Lily doesn't expect to make connections in such an isolated and yet superbly quaint village, where everyone knows your name and nobody is a stranger. She most definitely doesn't expect to find somebody she is attracted to. Oh, and let's not forget the pesky wee cat who comes with the shop.
It's all about Lily learning to enjoy what life has to offer no matter where she is at any moment in time. Learning to take a breath and see, and not just build her life around her career. The result is a heartfelt exploration of the person she thought her mother was and who she was for the people around her. Those two pictures are completely different, something Lily has to come to terms with.
It's light on the heart-wrenching emotions and romance, it's the perfect mixture of both. The kind of read that doesn't ask for a piece of your soul and instead just invites you in for a nice cup of tea and piece of cake. It's contemporary romance, an uplifting and delightful read.
I wonder if that's the last we will hear from the small community of Carroch. There are plenty of threads and characters to follow up with.
*I received a courtesy copy*
May 27, 2019
Lily is shocked when she's fired from her beloved department store job amid hard times and feels humiliated her boss and crush James could just get rid of her like it's nothing.
Reeling from it all and the loss of her hopeful promotion, she realises she has to take care of everything her mother, Patty left behind after she'd passed now she has time including surprisingly, a cat called Misty, she knew nothing about at all!
As she travels to Loch Carroch, she finds the quaint gift shop her mother had bought before her sudden death and meets back up with Iris her mum's best friend. She also meets Jack whom she remembers from holidays there years ago and Angus, a kind old man who finds herself reminding her of a father figure she wishes she'd had.
As she discovers Jack's past and his love of whisky the pair form a friendly bond until suddenly James reappears and it seems Edinburgh hasn't seen the last of Lily yet as she faces a new, better job back there, but will it be what she wanted after all?
After putting work first for so long, will Lily finally discover it's time to take a chance on other life things too?
The idea of the book is super quaint and idyllic sounding and is in the book too. Lily transforms in the book from being set in her ways to finding some roots and family ground to build on her future. A quick relaxing romance read.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
Reeling from it all and the loss of her hopeful promotion, she realises she has to take care of everything her mother, Patty left behind after she'd passed now she has time including surprisingly, a cat called Misty, she knew nothing about at all!
As she travels to Loch Carroch, she finds the quaint gift shop her mother had bought before her sudden death and meets back up with Iris her mum's best friend. She also meets Jack whom she remembers from holidays there years ago and Angus, a kind old man who finds herself reminding her of a father figure she wishes she'd had.
As she discovers Jack's past and his love of whisky the pair form a friendly bond until suddenly James reappears and it seems Edinburgh hasn't seen the last of Lily yet as she faces a new, better job back there, but will it be what she wanted after all?
After putting work first for so long, will Lily finally discover it's time to take a chance on other life things too?
The idea of the book is super quaint and idyllic sounding and is in the book too. Lily transforms in the book from being set in her ways to finding some roots and family ground to build on her future. A quick relaxing romance read.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
May 31, 2019
I absolutely loved this book! My husband is from Edinburgh and we have visited annually for 22 years, so reading this made my heart burst!
Lily had a a strange relationship with her mother, they were close, but Patty was not a maternal mum, moving constantly so Lily never settled, and had no close friends.
When Lily loses her mum, she goes to the place her mum finally settled down, Carroch, a beautiful place on a Loch, that they use to visit when she was growing up.! Whilst there she meets Jack, and although she is attracted to him, she doesn’t think the feeling is mutual. And anyway, she never planned on staying in Carroch, just sell her mums place and move back to Edinburgh!
Jack has been through so much that his heart seems switched off, he knows that Lily is affecting him, but she seems distant and uninterested. When they bump into her ex boss and the man Lily thought she would end up with, he snapped and accused her of things, so Lily left Carroch in the dead of night!
Can Lily and Jack figure out their true feelings for each other or have they left it too late?
Lily had a a strange relationship with her mother, they were close, but Patty was not a maternal mum, moving constantly so Lily never settled, and had no close friends.
When Lily loses her mum, she goes to the place her mum finally settled down, Carroch, a beautiful place on a Loch, that they use to visit when she was growing up.! Whilst there she meets Jack, and although she is attracted to him, she doesn’t think the feeling is mutual. And anyway, she never planned on staying in Carroch, just sell her mums place and move back to Edinburgh!
Jack has been through so much that his heart seems switched off, he knows that Lily is affecting him, but she seems distant and uninterested. When they bump into her ex boss and the man Lily thought she would end up with, he snapped and accused her of things, so Lily left Carroch in the dead of night!
Can Lily and Jack figure out their true feelings for each other or have they left it too late?
June 17, 2019
The Little Gift Shop on the Loch by Maggie Conway. HQ Digital, 2019.
When Lily’s high-powered accounting career is disrupted along with her dreams of romance, she takes a break to sort out an inheritance from her late mother. The yet-to-be opened gift shop in a Scottish village that had been her mother’s favourite vacation spot is full of unopened boxes of stock. As she meets her mother’s friends and becomes reacquainted with villagers she knew before, Lily becomes involved in community life. Initially intending to sell as quickly as possible, when Lily finds her stock consists of exquisite treasures, she sees potential for profit and decides to open for season.
The story is the stuff of dreams! There is everything to like about this book - one of my favourites this spring. I immediately sought out and read Maggie Conway’s other wonderful books.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of The Little Gift Shop on the Loch for free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Lily’s high-powered accounting career is disrupted along with her dreams of romance, she takes a break to sort out an inheritance from her late mother. The yet-to-be opened gift shop in a Scottish village that had been her mother’s favourite vacation spot is full of unopened boxes of stock. As she meets her mother’s friends and becomes reacquainted with villagers she knew before, Lily becomes involved in community life. Initially intending to sell as quickly as possible, when Lily finds her stock consists of exquisite treasures, she sees potential for profit and decides to open for season.
The story is the stuff of dreams! There is everything to like about this book - one of my favourites this spring. I immediately sought out and read Maggie Conway’s other wonderful books.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of The Little Gift Shop on the Loch for free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 20, 2019
Thank you to HQ Digital for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley!
Plain and simple, I really enjoy this story. It's a quick, light-hearted read that feels like a warm hug.
Lily, the main character, throws herself into her work to the exclusion of all else including family and friends. So when she is made redundant, she is finally forced to tackle the grief over her mother's death that she kept at bay for so long. She travels back to her mother's favorite haunt, Carroch, to handle the gift shop her mother bequeathed her and finds more than she ever expected.
I really liked the development of Lily's character in this story. Nothing felt too rushed or too drawn out. In terms of the romantic story, this is definitely a slow-burn and fluffy story. The Scottish setting adds its own kind of magic and I found myself wanting to travel there. While predictable, I enjoyed the twists in the story and even found hints of Pride & Prejudice reflected within some plot elements/character interactions.
Cute, quick, and fluffy. A perfect read for summer!
Plain and simple, I really enjoy this story. It's a quick, light-hearted read that feels like a warm hug.
Lily, the main character, throws herself into her work to the exclusion of all else including family and friends. So when she is made redundant, she is finally forced to tackle the grief over her mother's death that she kept at bay for so long. She travels back to her mother's favorite haunt, Carroch, to handle the gift shop her mother bequeathed her and finds more than she ever expected.
I really liked the development of Lily's character in this story. Nothing felt too rushed or too drawn out. In terms of the romantic story, this is definitely a slow-burn and fluffy story. The Scottish setting adds its own kind of magic and I found myself wanting to travel there. While predictable, I enjoyed the twists in the story and even found hints of Pride & Prejudice reflected within some plot elements/character interactions.
Cute, quick, and fluffy. A perfect read for summer!
July 30, 2021
This is the first Maggie Conway book that I have read, and it was a random pick from my local library and I really enjoyed it. I do like novels set in Scotland, and this has been well done. Maggie Conway describes Edinburgh and the scenery around the loch so well that you can picture it. However, this doesn’t detract from the story, just creates a solid background. The story of Lily and Jack is one of taking a risk on loving someone after being hurt. Maggie Conway deals with this with some sympathy, but I did get a bit tired of Jack’s guilt feelings, that just seemed to disappear at the end, which was a bit rushed. I did enjoy the way that Lily came to see that she didn’t need to understand her mother, but just what she was. The secondary characters of Iris, Angus and the other villagers as well as Misty the cat added depth to the book and helped with the story and I am glad that Lily had the sense to see her previous infatuation for what he was, a user. All in all, a nice light romance, nothing to heavy or hard. Just right to get through our covid Lockdowns.
June 13, 2019
This was a very enjoyable read. The biggest part of Lily’s story was the loss of her mother and how a redundancy forces her to deal with what she has been avoiding. Watching her unpack her mother’s life in Carroch and come to terms with who she was, their relationship and her loss was very touching. I liked the fact that in finishing what her mother started with the gift shop she found her own place and piece of happiness. Jack was lovely and the development of his relationship with Lily was handled well even with the brief hiccup. Lily and Angus were good supporting characters and I loved the Scottish setting as well.
A really good story, worth a read. I like this author’s writing style and will definitely be checking out her other books!!
A really good story, worth a read. I like this author’s writing style and will definitely be checking out her other books!!
May 28, 2019
I received a free copy for an honest review from Netgalley.
If you like HEAs, one book romances, or highlanders, this is for you. This is about a woman who’s world collapses slowly- familial loss, job loss, loss of self direction. But, finds herself, her lost family, and love. This isn’t one of those love at first sight or insta- love stories. (Though I love those too) This is a story of accidentally falling into love in the best way possible and finding who you want to be while doing it. Though this can be a really serious book at times, it just made me smile. I look forward to the author’s next, as I hope to see some of the other characters find love too.
If you like HEAs, one book romances, or highlanders, this is for you. This is about a woman who’s world collapses slowly- familial loss, job loss, loss of self direction. But, finds herself, her lost family, and love. This isn’t one of those love at first sight or insta- love stories. (Though I love those too) This is a story of accidentally falling into love in the best way possible and finding who you want to be while doing it. Though this can be a really serious book at times, it just made me smile. I look forward to the author’s next, as I hope to see some of the other characters find love too.
May 27, 2019
While a predictable read, it is still very enjoyable. Lily gets laid off from her job in the city, and heads to the small village in norther Scotland where her mother had left her a small shop and an apartment overhead. Naturally, there is a lot of fun characters in town, including handsome Jack. I liked this one, and found it a nice easy summer read. The only issue I had was her wanting to sell and head back to the city, where from I could see she wasn't going back to anything or anyone anyway. Sounds like it would be a nice place to visit. Highly recommend.
August 14, 2019
A comfortable, easy read set in a small village where Lilly learns to live life at a slower pace and listen to her heart in matters regarding her career, her ideas of what she thought her life would be, and in love. Amidst many cups of tea for coziness, there is also a sense of community, friendship, and family. Sadly, there are numerous typos and grammatical errors in the Kindle edition which are distracting and rather annoying. I hope that this will be re-edited so the story has a chance to shine.
May 28, 2019
I’m a sucker for a girl down on her luck finds love story but this is so much more. She finds friendship, she finds a sense of family, and she finds a renewed relationship of sorts with her mother who has passed through people who really knew her well. Mostly, Lily finds herself. After a lifetime of choosing the safe passage, she finds work that brings her joy. I don’t want to discount the romance, Jack has been hurt and struggles a bit but they reluctantly embrace the possibilities.
June 29, 2019
A lovely heartwarming easy read. Well written, interesting characters and a stunning location set in the highlands of Scotland. A charming story of loss, family, relationships, friendship and new beginnings.
A perfect easy light-hearted feel good summer read, with twists and turns along the way to keep the story interesting to the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
A perfect easy light-hearted feel good summer read, with twists and turns along the way to keep the story interesting to the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 28, 2021
Deceiving Reviews
I've chose this book because the reviews said things like "delightful" and "feelgood ". The story was well written ,but there was nothing feelgo about it. The heroine was grieving her mother but was unlikable. She was snobby and curt with other characters. More than half the book was gone and she was still moping around. I will try other books by this author but this story was too depressing.
I've chose this book because the reviews said things like "delightful" and "feelgood ". The story was well written ,but there was nothing feelgo about it. The heroine was grieving her mother but was unlikable. She was snobby and curt with other characters. More than half the book was gone and she was still moping around. I will try other books by this author but this story was too depressing.
June 6, 2019
A sweet romance in a beautiful location. A story of finding out where you need to be. After the loss of her mum, busy accountant Lily finds herself after inheriting a new way of life, one she didn’t think she needed. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
July 10, 2019
This was a really cute and engaging story, I loved the characters and the plot and while maybe not overly original I still found myself engrossed in the storyline. I found myself wishing I could visit the Loch and meet all of these well developed characters for myself. A very uplifting read.
I was sent this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was sent this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 1, 2019
Great story
Nice and clean I enjoyed it very much. The reason for only 4 stars is the writing, at times it was very stumbling and hard to figure out if what was written was meant as a positive or negative. The chapters of the next book were a lot better. I know the Scottish English is a bit different but this was too much. Proof reading might help
Nice and clean I enjoyed it very much. The reason for only 4 stars is the writing, at times it was very stumbling and hard to figure out if what was written was meant as a positive or negative. The chapters of the next book were a lot better. I know the Scottish English is a bit different but this was too much. Proof reading might help
January 10, 2020
This really would have benefitted from better editing. There were a lot of mistakes like extra or missing words that distracted me from the story. I also didn't find the relationship between Jack and Lily believable. They were sort-of friends, more like acquaintances, through most of the book and then all of a sudden they were in love. The end.
May 26, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have really enjoyed reading this book. This was the perfect book to curl up with after work and escape real life. I became completely engrossed in this book, I didn’t want to put it down.
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