This was a fun AND funny romp, a little above average in the rom-com category, in my opinion.

Izzy is a 27 yo accountant, living at home with her widowed mom. Since her father’s death (she was 17), she has sacrificed her own dreams (travel, her college major, focusing on writing) to help her mom carry on a tradition begun by her father, the annual Scottish Highland Games in Highland, GA.

She meets Alastair, half Scottish/half English, and while she’s a bit suspicious of his motives (which causes trouble later), is instantly attracted to him and drawn to their commonalities.

I actually adored Alistair’s character. He’s protective and earnest in trying to help others while also wrestling with what he wants out of his own life. Izzy is a bit of a klutz, and often has no filter between her thoughts and what comes out of her mouth...which was a bit tiresome at times. But there’s good chemistry here, and their humor is spot on.

Looks like the start of a series, and I’d be happy to read the next one.

Thanks to #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress and #Macmillan for providing me the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.
@stmartinspress

It has been a while since I have read a book from Laura Trentham, I became a fan with her historicals so it did not take much to request this one and I did enjoy it. We meet Isabel who is shocked that her mom arrives home from her trip with a highlander. Isobel was not only a little hurt since it meant that her mom has moved on from her fathers death but wondered if this highlander (Gareth) wanted their land. A day later another highlander shows up (Alasdair) and it makes her more wary, who is this guy?. On top of all that, she has the highland games to prepare for, is worried about a loan and has to host these two. Her mom annoyed at the beginning, she just seemed to use Isabel thankfully she stepped in at the end. I liked the banter and the spark between Alasdair and Isabel and the people in the town. I felt bad for Holt and hope he gets a happy ending he deserved it, and can't for Anna's story..

Delightful read! Isabel, the heroine, is trying to protect her widowed mother, Rose, from being taken advantage of by a Scotsman named Gareth. Alasdair, the hero, is trying to prevent his Uncle Gareth from being taking advantage of by Isabel’s mother. A great HEA, I can’t wait to read the next in the series. I received an ARC for my honest review.

A Highlander Walks in a Bar by Laura Trentham is the 1st book in her new Highland, Georgia series. We meet our heroine, Isabel (Izzy) Buchanan at that start when she picks her mom up at the airport. To Izzy’s surprise, her mom has an unexpected guest that she brought with her from her vacation in Scotland. Izzy will soon learn that her mom, Rose has found herself a Scottish highlander, Gareth, who has come to stay a bit with her in their home, Stonehaven.

Izzy isn’t too thrilled, as she doesn’t trust Gareth, but it is time for Highland’s annual festival and she needs her mother’s help to set everything up. Gareth is willing to help also, and is very much infatuated with Rose. Within a couple of days, we will meet our hero, Alasdair Blackmoor, to comes to visit his uncle to get him to go home, and immediately discovers that his uncle is posing as a Scottish worker; which makes Alasdair pose as a friend. Alasdair is determined to protect his uncle, but begins to see the change and happiness in Gareth. What happens when Rose or Izzy learn that Gareth is the Scottish Earl of Cairndow, and is very wealthy?
Izzy finds herself attracted to the gorgeous Alasdair, and a slow built romance begins to start. Alasdair is also beginning to have feelings for Izzy, but he knows there is no future, since he will eventually go back to Scotland, as the heir to Cairndow.

What follows is Izzy, Rose, Gareth and Alasdair helping to set up the Highland Festival, as well as getting to know many of the people in the town of Highland, Georgia. Alasdair is also in the middle of trying to protect Rose and Izzy losing their property that his boss erroneously discovered. Will this cause a rift between him and Izzy?

A Highlander Walks in a Bar was an enjoyable fun double romance, with a wonderful cast of characters. Both Izzy and Alasdair had the same goals, protecting their family, but their relationship heats up quickly, with Alasdair trying to find a way to help his uncle, and Izzy. They made a great couple, as did Rose and Gareth. I enjoyed the festival proceedings and the townsfolk who went out of their way to help Alasdair win Izzy. I also loved the town of Highland, Georgia and the wonderful Scottish flair. Laura Trentham once again gives us a fun fast paced new series, in a wonderful new town, great couples & characters, and enjoyable fun stories. I suggest you read A Highlander Walks in a Bar.

While this was a fun romantic comedy story is was a bit different then the blurb and what I was expecting. It is well written and the characters are fun, but the pacing of the story is a bit too slow for me. I was entertained but it took effort to push through and finish.

This is the story of Isabel (her mother, lol) an Alasdair. Isabel’s mother gets back from a vacation to Scotland and brings something back… A hot Scottish man! LOL. It is just as funny as it sounds. While the mother is in a new relationship, Isabel soon finds that the souvenir (Gareth) has a nephew. The nephew, Alasdair, thinks that Isabel’s mother is using his uncle and the dynamics of the story take off. I loved the push and pull, the miscommunication and the action of this story. It was fun to read with great dialogue. The story is really about two couples and that is just a bonus. I loved the fluffiness of this story.

As mentioned above, my only real compliant is that it was slow and dry at times. There are great moments but I did have to push myself to finish. I am glad I did, and I am glad I read this story; I just could use a bit more consistent flow. I received an ARC via NetGallery and I am leaving an honest review.

I very rarely read contemporary romances anymore, preferring historical romances instead. This title didn’t exactly change my mind about that.

I found very little to be redeemable about Isabel and found it hard to like her. She’s prickly and suspicious and just not much fun. And I couldn’t figure out why Alasdair found her appealing beyond that she didn’t want him. Although, I should say they were both instantly attracted to each other. Because of course. I also found Izzy’s mom and all her “darlin’s” to be annoying.

I’m not sure if I’ll be checking out more titles in this series or not. I liked the story and the town okay enough so I might give the next title a try.

*I received an eARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A Highlander Walks into a Bar by Laura Trentham
Book #1: Highland, Georgia Series
Source: NetGalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Rating: 4/5 stars

Isabel Buchanan accepted her mother’s eccentricity many years ago. In fact, these days, Isabel is rarely surprised by her mother, her wild ideas, antics and shenanigans. However, bringing home a real, live Scotsman from her latest trip abroad has Isabel questioning her mother’s sanity. Though the two seem all cuddly and cozy (EW!) Isabel is mistrustful and worried about the Scot’s motives. To make matters even worse (REALLY?) the Scot seems to have a delectable friend, Alasdair Blackmoor, who’s also in town, looking and acting rather suspicious.

Since her father’s death, Isabel and her mother have done their level best to maintain their large state in Highland, Georgia. A part of the estate’s legacy is the annual Highland Games and though it is a monumental undertaking, Isabel is determined to preserve the tradition. According to her mother, with two real, authentic Scots in town and willing to help, this year’s games should be the best ever offered. Though Isabel is a fan of authenticity and always strives to put on a good show, she isn’t quite ready to take the help being offered by two complete strangers with questionable motives.

Alasdair Blackmoor is somewhat befuddled by Highland, Georgia, Isabel Buchanan, a his “friend.” In order of befuddlement: 1) Alasdair cannot fathom why his “friend” is hiding his true identity from the Buchanans, 2) Highland, Georgia really is what it advertises, a little piece of Scotland in the American South, 3) Why is Isabel so mistrustful and suspicious? As if things weren’t complicated enough, Alasdair has agreed to go along with his “friend’s” misrepresentation of himself and to do a little digging of his own. Surely, Isabel and her mother are out for something and cannot possibly have any good intentions. Trouble is, once Alasdair starts digging, he inadvertently digs a big hole that threatens to take away everything the Buchanan’s know and love.

As the days leading up to the Highland (Georgia) Games draws nearer, Isabel’s mother and her beau are in their own little happy bubble and rarely come out for air. Isabel is consumed with Games details and with her mother out of commission, so to speak, Isabel has no choice but to accept Alasdair’s help. As is happens, Alasdair is not only a willing volunteer, but a generally nice guy. Though she certainly didn’t intend to like (or trust!) Alasdair, his actions and his words indicate his good intentions and he’s fun to be with. Additionally, he’s dead sexy and has Isabel thinking seriously about the possibility of little fling with a hot Scot. Unfortunately, great sex isn’t enough to make up for all the deception and when the truth about everyone finally crawls out of the darkness, Isabel is certain she should have hung on to the feeling is mistrust.

The Bottom Line: What a fun little rom-com! Nearly every relationship in this book is based on a misrepresentation and that certainly makes for some interesting encounters, conversations, and situations. Perhaps the best part of all the misrepresenting is the fact that everyone started out with good intentions or as a way to help someone else. When it all blows up, it is a rather spectacular explosion that eventually gets worked out and leads to not one, but two HEAs. Both Isabel and Alasdair are immensely likeable characters whose dance of distrust is highly entertaining and often funny. Bound up with their trust issues are some serious feels and a boat load of lust; of course, all this mixed together makes for an excellent relationship and wonderfully funny read. Finally, Trentham has clearly set this up as the first book in a series and I will be glad to revisit Highland, Georgia in the next installment.

You guys...I love a good Scotsman, I mean they have the best accents, right? Yes, it's true, sorry I don't make the rules. So when I saw the plot of this new romance book, I knew I had to read it. The idea of a town in the South so obsessed with Scottish Pride was so interesting to me. I also love that Izzy is so suspicious of her mom's new boyfriend, in the same way that Alasdair is suspicious of Izzy's mom. It was just too funny to me.

The romance between the two characters was great. There was definitely an immediate attraction between them, but I liked that it took a bit for them to act on it. I liked that they got to know each other a little bit. Even though Alasdair was keeping some bigs things from her. I do think it's a little odd with her mom dating his uncle, I'm not sure if that's removed enough or not. I was willing to kind of forget about it, because I liked these two together so much.

There is a little bit of steamy scenes in this book, so if that is your thing ---hey, girl, me too, but it's it's not be forewarned. There's really only one descriptive scene, so I think you could always skip over it if it really bothers you.

There is a lot of conflict in this book because Alasdair and Garreth are not being truthful with who they really are. This all comes to a head towards the end of the book, so they have to do something big to win back their women. I do love the the rest of the town kind of gets in on it to help these very dumb men. There's also the whole big issue of the distance between Scotland and Georgia. But don't worry, this book does end in a happy ending. It's a romance, so of course it has to have a happy ending.

The epilogue in this one was really sweet too. It definitely sets up the next book in the series, and I'm dying to get my hands on it. Can't wait to read book two in this series.

I'm pretty sure there's never been I book I didn't like written by Laura Trentham. She now gifts us with a new series - Highland, Georgia...and I'm smitten and sold. One of the things I love about a new series is that it's, well, new. And exciting to meet the characters, the setting, and wonder how many of the people we meet will get their HEA.

With A Highlander Walks into a Bar, we are introduced to Isabel Buchanan, or Izzy. She's living at home again, after her father passed away, helping her mother uphold their estate and prepare for the yearly Highlander games, to celebrate their Scottish heritage in Georgia.

But this year is quite different, as her mother comes home from her vacation with her own Highlander, apparently smitten. He's the gameskeeper of the castle she visited. And soon after, Garreth's younger "friend" arrives as well to check on Garreth. Izzy is not the most trusting of these men and fears they are trying to take advantage of her mother.

What Izzy and her mother don't know, is that Garreth and Alasdair Blackmoor have secrets of their own, and don't trust Izzy and her mother for the same reason Izzy is skeptical. Especially Alasdair - believing Izzy and Rose (her mother) are out to take advantage of Garreth. Without giving away too many spoilers, Alasdair stays for the games, Garreth and Alasdair eventually come clean to Izzy and her mother, and they are able to have their HEAs. Even more fun, we get a sneak peak in the epilogue for the next book in the series. Another Scottish/American pairing.

The story is fun and lighthearted, the men are fabulous and Scottish, and the ending is sweet.

This cover is precious and I laughed my way through the entire book! It has a ton of play on words and cute, sexy times. I picked up the Arc because it met one of my Summer TBR goals and so glad I did! I will be checking out more from this author!

I absolutely adored A HIghlander Walks into a Bar by Laura Trentham. Wonderful likeable characters with off the charts chemistry, great dialogue and laugh out loud funny. I loved both Isabel and Alasdair. Now I'm eagerly awaiting the next book.

This was pretty good. A lot of turning around in the story line but the characters were fun. What's not to love about a Scotsmen or two.

Cute and sassy book about Highlanders that continue to be a mainstay of the romance genre. In keeping with my attempts to read in other subgenres, I found this to be a cute novel with interesting characters.

I'll recommend it to our review group.

4.5 stars!
This was such a cute but angsty romance, with a southern girl and a sexy Scotsman who has come to America to claim his uncle and escort him home, only to find his uncle has fallen in love! Because of this there were two couples in the story, Gareth and Rose and Alasdair and Izzy; it was cool to see the parallel but with age differences and varying levels of wisdom. Alasdair and Izzy were a sizzling slow burn with moments of combustion! Even though I was aggravated with Alasdair for keeping secrets, I understand why he did. I was ecstatic that Izzy went after what she wanted, once she decided to let herself be happy and enjoy life. Her vibrant personality drew me in, just like it did Alasdair.

I would have liked the epilogue to be more focused on the people within this story, but it is nice to know who the next story will focus on, and I'm excited to read it!

Pick this up if you love southern culture, Scottish culture/history, and off the charts chemistry as well as internal conflict!

Highlander walks into a bar is depict in Highland, Georgia. A sweet story of Alasdair and Isabel, also started with her mother Rose and Alasdair uncle, Garth. They are both suspicious (Alasdair and Isabel) of the intentions of Rose to Garth and Garth to Rose. As tough as Izzy is with Alasdair....They both start to fall for each other. This was a sweet story. I really enjoyed the book I recommend this story. I voluntary request E-book from Netgalley to give a honest review.

This was a fun read that makes me want to go to Scotland. Set in modern times, it has a historical flair that captures the Scottish culture and ambiance. Isabel owns a manor in a small, recreated Scots town called Highland that was founded by her family. Ancestors who immigrated to Georgia. Her father has passed away, so it is up to her and her mother to keep the town and manor afloat. This includes a recreation every year of the Highland games. The only problem with this year is that her mother and business partner has been MIA on a vacation to Scotland, and he jut out happens to bring back a souvenir that is a strapping Scot. Before long, Isabel not only has to manage the festival by herself, but she encounters Alisdair- a “friend” of the souvenir’s family - who has been tasked with bringing him home. Let the games begin - winner gets two Georgia hearts.

I really enjoyed this book, Isabel and Alasdair's story was great. The chemistry between them was off the charts. Loved the Scottish games part of the story line, it was a lot of fun.

A fun read, two Scotsmen come to America, only to find the town they are visiting is a replica of Scotland. one fancies the mother and the other the daughter! A lot more is going on but if you love Scotland and Scotsmen this is a must read.

I received this ARC copy of A Highlander Walks into a Bar from St. Martin's Press And NetGalley. This book was a sweet, fun summer read. It features two Scottish highlanders, a group of interesting characters from a southern town, a greedy corporation, and a Highland games event. Will the couples find love or heartache? What role will secrets play in their future. I really enjoyed this book and think you will too.

Light, pleasant “everything works out” love story. A little bit of “woe is me” with splashes of humor. Likable characters, good lead in to next installment and even another one after that. If you are enamored of Scotland and all things Scottish this will tickle your fancy.