book blurb:
Librarian Charlotte Webb has always enjoyed escaping into a good story instead of dealing with reality, especially after her last year.
But when her ex struts back into town and invites her to his Christmas wedding, Charlotte has to convince everyone, including herself, that she's moved on.
Deciding an adventure far from home with her perfect―albeit fake―Scottish boyfriend is just what she needs to complete her act, Charlotte boards the plane from New York to Edinburgh, where she bonds with her seat mate, a twelve-year-old girl who is leaving everything she loves in America behind to live abroad with her single father―Ewan, an extremely handsome duke with zero sense of humor.
But when Ewan agrees to keep up Charlotte's boyfriend ruse, sparks begin to fly, and it’s not long before Charlotte’s wondering if her make-believe boyfriend is the real deal.
Tropes:
*Netgalley ALC *Holiday Romance *Grumpy x sunshine *noble MMC *wealthy MMC
*Librarian FMC *American FMC x Scottish MMC *Single father *grief *cozy read
*hallmark vibes (with some stronger language and adult situations)
Thoughts:
Charlotte
(FMC) is feeling down she is a librarian and works at the same library her mother
did there are so many memories… but the owners are selling and they will be
moving into a more modern buildling, her father just informed her he will be
spending the holidays in Arizona with his new wife’s family…
Then she
finds out that all of her friends have been holding back information,
apparently her ex is coming back to town… with his fiance, oh and they are
getting married on her favorite holiday.
When she runs into her ex sooner than expected while out and he invites her to the wedding and says he wanted to tell her in person she does the only thing a rational
person can do…
She
tells him that it’s fine because she is spending the holidays with her Scottish
boyfriend… who she hasn’t told anyone about because he a member of nobility and doesn’t want his business known
to the public.
She does
fess up quickly to some friends who purchase her a ticket to Scotland… why not
take the time to have a nice vacation and find herself while her work is closed
for the month anyways.
Once arriving
to the airport she is having second thoughts she hates flying… and runs into a
Henry Cavill look alike (who turns out to be a real life Duke... did she conjure this guy?) and his teenage daughter who doesn’t want to be there either, she just lost her mother and doesn't want to leave everything she's ever known behind to move thousands of miles away.
He (Ewan) is
grumpy… naturally they are on the same flight (she also might have taken something to help calm her nerves... it's a long flight).
While she doesn't become his best friend... she does hit it off with a mother who needs help with her children and Mr. Grumpy's daughter.
When she runs into trouble and her belongings are stolen she turns to the only people she knows in Scotland... and they actually come thru for her, now she is staying with Ewan, Matilda (his daughter) and Ewan's grouchy snow queen type mother... this will be great... and temporary.
Only the longer she is there as sunshine in human form enchanting the workers of the castle, the villagers and even Mr. Grump himself (he even agrees to the charade of being her pretend boyfriend for her friends and family back home) the more things are not feeling so fake, but they just agreed to a highland fling and she is going home at the end of the month no strings attached.
Ewan's mother doesn't approve of Charlotte or her being there... it would be a holiday miracle if her cold heart thawed out... maybe she needs to be included more in the holiday spirit.
What could go wrong?
This screams hallmark romance (with some naughty behavior added in), was it over the top at times --> yes
Did this have situations that are 100% likely never to happen in real life --> yes
This was a cozy vibe romance that just made me feel like I was reading a warm hug.
Did I enjoy it anyways --> also yes
Charlotte was kind of obnoxious at times but she was likeable and I felt so bad for her that everyone thought that she was just stuck in her lackluster life while everyone else was moving forward in their relationships... including her ex who all of their joint friends were helping him plan and prep for his upcoming wedding.
Loved how Charlotte was able to help bridge the relationship between Ewan and his grieving daughter. Even talking him into allowing her to keep the baby highland cow they found while out on a day trip (so cute).
Handsome brooding Duke Ewan, loved him he was just doing the best he could after being thrust into a position he never expected to find himself in (he was born the second son)
This is a cute and cozy holiday romance with silly situations, some character growth and two people who were both a bit lost in life finding each other at the right time.
Stewart Crank and Alex Raby did a great job narrating this story.
If you are making your holiday TBR list you might enjoy this one!
Have you read this one? What did you think?
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