Review: Never Forget You - Fiona Lucas - September 2022 I was left in two minds after reading this book as it was one of my favorite tropes and one of those soulmates/true love, once-in-a-lifetime love stories but at the same time, I had picked it up as the back seemed like it would be emotional and the book boasted an emotional journey which I had hinted possible crying in spots and that was what I happened to be in the mood for. Unfortunately, this book didn't make me cry or tear up but it was a #meetcute romance love story, one of those once-in-a-lifetime love reads where despite obstacles and time passing, you know that these two people are just supposed to be together. The book starts with Lilli and Ben who meet each other in London in a secret garden and spend the next 3 hours together. Ben wishes he could stay longer, but for the next year, he is about to embark on his big trip around the world. The pair make a goal to meet each other at the church, a year from now. One year...

Geordie Pax Sinclair (The Scotsman’s Kilt, #2) Publication date: December 20th 2023 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance MacTavish Distilleries, my family’s centuries-old company famous for its premium whiskey, sent me to California to craft wine to extend our legacy into America. My family, what’s left of them, remain in Scotland. Even thousands of miles away, my heritage and traditions continue to shape my life. Despite losing my parents at a young age, I’ve always strived to follow their example—seeking love, marriage, and a brood of wee bairns. I envision this same perfect life, sprinkled with flirtations along the way, but in the end, I will have my own family. However, in a matter of minutes, a brutal dirt bike accident has shattered my life and reset my timeline. Lying in my hospital bed, with only the sterile hum of machines for company, it’s clear that I must start my family now. With no solid relationship at present, the need to fill this void gnaws at me, urging m...

Midnight Rapture Anya Summers (Dungeon Singles Night, #12) Publication date: June 27th 2023 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance Rescued by a hot, kilt-wearing Scot… Freya’s on the run from her abusive ex-boyfriend. She’s exhausted and terrified, but if she stops, she knows he’ll find her – and their infant daughter – and make her pay. Desperation drives her to do something she shouldn’t, that she knows is fundamentally wrong… … and sure enough, she gets caught red-handed. All she can do is beg for mercy. When Jasper catches the gorgeous new maid with her hand in his wallet, his first instinct is to call the police. But Freya’s tearful plea strikes a chord deep within him, and instead he finds himself offering her the protection of his name and family. Their union is meant to be on paper only but Jasper soon finds himself enthralled by his new bride. He starts a campaign to seduce her into his bed, never expecting her to wiggle her way into his heart. And when her past th...

Review: The Little Scottish Ghost - Franz Hohler and Werner Maurer - May 1980 - reprinted July 2023 I recently saw this gorgeous picture book on Netgalley. It had an older feel to the story from the illustrations to the feel of the story and it wasn't till now after finding it on Goodreads, that I discovered it was written in 1980 - that's seven years before I was born. This makes total sense as it did have a 70/80s feel to the book and the story. In The Little Scottish Ghost, we meet a ghost family who are haunting one of the many castles in Scotland. The Daddy and Mummy Ghost are scary and manage to scare the household, but they are starting to get a bit too old to haunt anymore as their energy isn't what it used to be. So they begin to train their daughter - the little Scottish ghost. The thing is that she isn't scary at all the household thinks she is adorably cute. After none of her parents' tricks seem to work, they send her away to be trained by someone wh...

Review: Northanger Abbey - The Austen Project Series - Val McDermid - March 2014 This month's reading challenge is to clear my TBR bookshelves and focus on books that have been sitting there for a while. I decided to start by grabbing ones that I know have been there a long time, like this one that has been sitting on my bookshelf for nearly ten years. I wasn't sure how I would find this one as I do love my renditions but didn't know much of the story of Northanger Abbey as it isn't one of Austen's most known works and one people I have heard said is aimed at the younger audience due to the main characters age. The other thing was that Val McDermid is said to be the Queen of Crime and so I wasn't sure how she would transfer her skills to an Austen tale. After reading it, I can surely doth protest that Val McDermid did an amazing job as the book was so easy to follow and read and held my attention. In Northanger Abbey, we first met Cat Morland who has come to E...