Well, it's only the second book that I read by these authors and my opinion didn't change, so far these two books were mediocre for me.
It seems like I read this story hundred times already. From the beginning I knew the ending of this story, the characters were pretty good, but also nothing memorable about them.
However, I think that for the days when you feel stressed and want some comforting read, this book is definitely for you. It's like a cup of coffee: you drink it and forget about it.

Doesn’t matter the season, folks, May McGoldrick never seems to fail to deliver a heart melting Scottish romantic read. Sweet Home Highland Christmas just proves my point. Freya and Penn made a perfect for each other main couple, as they slowly got to know and fell for one another, while traveling with Ella, Freya’s five year old niece.

Of course, there is one major hitch in the way. Freya is reluctantly on her way to meet up with a loser of a man she feels forced to marry if she wants to keep guardianship of Ella. But, not to worry, my fellow romance book loving friends. Penn isn’t a man to stand around and just wring his hands. No, this ex-military, warrior hero guy’s got game, but in a very subtle, gentlemanly kind of way. Freya sweeps him off his feet and soon has him contemplating a whole new path for his future.

Without a whole of unexpected drama, the writing flowed and kept me fully engaged. There are a couple of brief, steamy scenes intermixed with lots of looks of longing and some passionate kisses.

If this 102 paged storyline is ringing a bell in your memory banks, it’s likely because you’ve read it before in “Christmas in Kilts, a collection of five short novellas written by various authors, in which I only enjoyed two of them (this one and Leftover Mistletoe). So I guess you could consider this book a re-release.

Whether you are stretched out in the sand enjoying the summer sun or getting cozy in front of a toasty winter fireplace, prepare to have your heart warmed up by this sweet romantic tale of Freya and Penn as they find true love in the highlands.

Title: Sweet Home Highland Christmas, Series: The Pennington Family (Book 1.5), Author: May McGoldrick, Pages: 102, stand-alone but part of a series, published before as part of Christmas in Kilts, a few graphically steamy scenes, virgin heroine, romance safe.

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)

Very sweet novella with delightful characters in Freya, Gregory, and Ella. Gregory is asked to escort a party, which includes Freya and her niece Ella and well, the sparks fly! Freya is engaged but no so happy about it. What's important to her is Ella, who is a terrific little girl. You can guess where this is going but you'll wish it was longer. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A quick, nice read.

Sweet Home Highlands finds engineer Capt. Greg Pennington thinking of retiring and moving to Boston. For now, he’s escorting Freya, her 5-year-old niece Ella and their servants to the estate next to his parents. Ella’s paternal grandmother wants to meet her and maybe take her away from Freya. Ella’s mother died soon after having Ella and Freya has raised her. Freya plans to marry a cousin to have a better chance of keeping Ella, but will that happen? Ella is a marvelous character, 5 going on 25 and determined to get what she wants. I enjoyed this novella very much.

Gregory Pennington has been assigned a task by his elder brother. He is to meet and escort 4 adults and 1 child to his family's estate for Christmas. As he waits in the inn, he meets a young lady, of about 5 or 6 years of age. Her name is Ella. She is precocious, funny, curious and very intelligent. She is accompanied by her aunt, Freya. They are part of the party who will be traveling with Gregory.

This is a lovely short novella.

The characters are wonderfully well developed. Gregory is shortly to retire from the army. He has been an engineer and now that the war is over, he has plans for his life. As the second son, he feels if he travels to America, he will be able to make a new life for himself. He is a kind and considerate man who has been raised in a loving family. He is enchanted by Ella and her naturally entertaining nature. He is also enchanted by Freya.

Freya has been taking care of Ella since she was born. Freya's sister died in child birth and Ella's father died in the war. So, Freya and her father have been the only family Ella has ever known. Now, the family of Ella's late father are making demands and there is a very good possibility that Freya may lose Ella completely.

Unless Freya chooses to marry a man who is a rat, she could lose Freya. She is willing to sacrifice herself in order to keep Ella at the only home she has ever known. Ella thinks she should not choose to be a martyr.

Each of these characters make this story a truly wonderful Christmas story.

Ella steals the show. She is able to become the center of attention with very little effort. She is one of the best parts of this book.

The story is well plotted. The action moves quickly. There is humor which adds a great deal to the book. But, the greatest part of the plot is devoted to family relationships and being willing to love and protect the people for whom you care.

I am a fan of these two authors who write as May McGoldrick. The have a talent for creating characters who make the reader want to quickly turn pages.

I received this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.

Sweet Home Highland Christmas really stood out for me because of the hero. Captain Gregory Pennington isn't your typical soldier or spare to inherit a title. He's an engineer! This really excited me, and I think the authors did a great job showing his intellect, curiosity, and problem-solving skills all along the journey as he escorted Freya and her five-year-old niece, Ella.

Ella really steals the show. I love when a child can be such a central part of a romance, and I don't see that very often in the historical genre. If there are just tons of these out there that I haven't heard of yet, feel free to drop the title in the comments so I can check them out. Ella is also very intelligent, and when she meets Pennington, she promptly decides that he would be a much better husband for her aunt than the cousin Freya has been dreading to marry.

While this isn't a love at first sight story, it is a case of falling in love quickly. As the small party journeys through the Scottish countryside in the winter, I was able to get to know these characters through an ice-skating break, bedtime stories, and midnight confessions. The story takes place during the Christmas season, but it really wasn't mentioned too much until the very end, which I found a tad rushed, like the authors were running into a word or page count limit, but overall a very satisfying story.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

What a great read! This had everything that I needed right now. The main characters, Gregory and Freya, were great characters that I really loved reading about. I couldn't get enough of the chemistry between them. Freya's niece Ella was an absolute hoot and kept me laughing throughout the book. I enjoyed the fact that this was on the shorter side so that it didn't drag on at all.

This novella first appeared in an anthology called,"Say Yes to the Scott." I had purchased that book for 2 of the other authors having never read May Mcgoldrick before. This turned out to be my favorite story of the 3.
There was so much packed into this novella. Many times I feel in novellas, you only get half the story. This story was a full romance from start to end. It was packed with every emotion. It had humor, it had sadness, it had chemistry, chivalry and of course it had its HEA.
Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. This novella was the start of becoming acquainted with a new author. Definitely 5 stars.

Sweet Home Highlands by May McGoldrick is a quick historical romance, perfect for those with limited time for reading. Gregory was tasked with escorting a group of people to Baronsford. Included in the group are Freya and her niece Ella. I have to say, Ella stole the show in this book, everyone needs a little Ella in their life. The drama, sizzle and antics of Ella will keep readers glued to their e-readers. I love the humor. Kudos to Ms McGoldrick on the characters and dialog. Sweet Home Highland Christmas is book 1.5 of The Pennington Family Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

it is the story of Gregory Pennington and Freya Sutherland. Freya is guardian to her niece Ella, but since her grandfather’s death, Ella’s grandmother has been questioning whether Freya is capable of caring for her. She has demanded Freya attend her and prove her worthiness. To prove her stability, Freya has agreed to marry her father’s heir, thus proving Ella a home and a financially stable future. She is not happy about the marriage, but the cost it worth it if it means Ella will stay with her. Her discontent grows once she meets their escort, Penn. These two have an instant chemistry, they sizzle! But Penn is not sure how he feels and has plans, plans that do not include a wife and child. And Freya has made a promise and she must marry. With a little help from Ella, these two finally get a HEA.

Sweet Home Highland Christmas - what can I say, I LOVED Ella (the child)! It was fun watching how the H/h felt the instant attraction and how they both handled it while dealing with an extremely strong willed and voiced child. The ending was especially hilarious!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and these are my thoughts on the book!