This is a gorgeous contemporary romance in an idyllic setting with a fabulous community feel to it all, complete with just a hint at the psychic, too.

Paige Dougall grew up in the small village of Lockton in the Scottish Highlands and it is here that she returns with her three year old daughter when life throws her another curve ball – she’s had too many of the in the last year and is struggling to cope with facing yet another calamity. When an uncontrolled puppy endeavouring to run off with the contents of her suitcase inadvertently introduces her to its owner, Johnny Becker, neither realised the repercussions! As she and her daughter settle into village life, she’s faced with new options – including a possible romance. However, she’s been hurt before, will she take a chance on life and love again?

Some sensitive issues are included in this story, including mental health, guilt and grief, they are dealt with in a sympathetic and caring manner. There are some fantastic characters and plenty of surprises along the way to more than one romance. It is a heartwarming, inspirational read, showing how important it is to take time to appreciate what makes you happy. It is about learning to work to live and never to live to work, sorting your priorities out to help you live a happy life and have time to enjoy your life with those you love and care about.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

We return to the little Scottish village of Lockton, and you can’t help but be drawn into the book immediately with its beautiful location which creates the best images to accompany the storyline. We meet Paige Dougall who, along with her little girl Grace, is returning to the village to stay with her parents for a while. Paige is a lovely character, but has suffered some heartache is recent times and is still trying to come to terms with this. Before she even manages to get into her parents’ house, she bumps into Johnny Becker who along with his unruly dog Mack, manages to create the first of many parts of the storyline which had me laughing out loud! Johnny is just like Paige and is struggling to come to terms with what has happened in his life. He is working, with his twin brother Davey, at the local pub as a chef but lacks the enthusiasm to cook to his full potential. I really liked both of these characters and thought they were so relatable. The journey on their blossoming friendship was great to watch and be part of, with both of them being there for each other.

All of the other characters within the story were all just as likeable and added their own something to the storyline. I have to admit I loved Paige’s dad and thought his relationship with his daughter was just so heart-warming and it made me quite emotional! The storyline is not just based around Paige and Johnny, but also around the reopening of the village’s library. Paige was all set to work in the library before her life went down a different road and it was lovely to see her back helping out and doing what she was obviously good at! I work is a library so can totally appreciate Paige’s enjoyment of organising the books, and making sure everything was ready for the grand reopening. I felt like there was an element of magical forces at work within the library with just the perfect book appearing for some of the villagers, and tried to work out whether I was as good at picking books for people as Paige was!

This was such an enjoyable read and was filled with friendships, family and of course love! It was ultimately a happy book of self-discovery, learning to trust yourself and others and second chances, but there were some lovely tender and emotional moments which were quite sad but will make you love those characters all the more! The author has managed to create a fine balance of having me laughing on one page and then finding the tears welling up on another. Would definitely recommend!!

Thank you NetGalley, author Donna Ashcroft, and Bookouture publishing for giving me a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5 stars
Where would you go to make a fresh start after tragedy strikes? Join the people of the small village of Lockton in the Scottish Highlands, where you’ll discover sunshine, secrets and an unforgettable romance.
This was my first book by author Donna Ashcroft and it will not be my last. The author swept me away to the Scottish Highlands with her writing! I was immediately draw to the characters especially Paige, Johnny, little Grace, and puppy Mack. Paige was a very realistic character. Her emotional turmoil that she is going through at the beginning of the story had me hoping for a HEA for her and her little girl. I loved how patient and caring Johnny was towards Paige and her little girl. He was able to help Paige open up and work through her grief and look forward to a new start with the possibility of love. The pacing and storyline kept and held my interest until the very end. The ending was very sweet and heartwarming. Overall, I would recommend this book to those who are looking for a wonderful summer romance in the Scottish Highlands. I am looking forward to another new release by this author in the future.

Lovely summer read, I finished this book in 24h.

Paige returns to her family in Scotland for a week when she is signed off work sick. Is Lockton actually just what Paige and her daughter Grace need?

First of Donna's books that I have read and found it an enjoyable read. Lovely warm and charming characters.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Summer In The Scottish Highlands' by Donna Ashcroft.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Donna Ashcroft, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 4th June 2021.

This is the first book I have read by this author.

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching beaitiful cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'Perfect for fans of Nicola May, Sarah Morgan and Cathy Bramley'. I am a fan of Sarah Morgan so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 27 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually been on holiday to Scotland on several occasions so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere that Donna has based the book on.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Paige Dougall and Johnny Becker. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

What an absolutely stunning read!!! A perfectly gorgeous book!!! The vivid descriptions left me feeling the fresh air of Scotland and the title, synopsis and cover suited the storyline perfectly.

This book is absolutely rammed full of love, choices, happiness, regrets, friendship and books!!!! I absolutely adore books that talk about books and this one is definitely one of the best I've read in a long time. It made me laugh, cry, smile and fall in love with Scotland. I just adored that alot of the plot was based around a library and books!!! The storyline was sweet, romantic, uplifting and everything you want in a heart warming romance and I completely fell head over heels in love!!! The Scottish dialect was perfect and it really made me feel like I was in Scotland. I was devastated when I came to the end and realised I would have to unpack my suitcase as I genuinely felt as if I'd been on a holiday. It was an uplifting breathe of fresh air!!! It ended absolutely perfectly!!!

The characters were all strong, well defined and realistic. I fell in love with every single one of them and was gutted when I came to the end. This book would make a gorgeous series and I would love to meet all the characters again. Paige is such a strong character and after being through hell I loved watching her form friendships and find happiness. I adored how she started reading again when she came back home. Grace was an absolute sweetheart. Johnny was an absolute hunk and I enjoyed reading his slogan of the day, nice touch!! I also really enjoyed learning about all the different members of the community and it reflected a small town community perfectly. Of course I cannot forget the adorable Mack and his mischievous ways.

Well done Donna on an absolutely gorgeous book. Welcome to my favourite authour team!!! I am thoroughly looking forward to reading more of your books past and future. Congratulations on a stunning success!!

Overall an absolutely stunning page turning romance that will make you smile, laugh and keep you up all night absorbing the pages.

Genres covered in this book include Romance and Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as anyone looking for an uplifting romance!!!!


273 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Donna Ashcroft please don’t ever stop writing these brilliant books set in the village of Lockton in the Scottish Highlands. They are just excellent reads from beginning to end. Such gorgeous stories that have you hooked and make for real page turners. Summer in the Scottish Highlands with its stunning colourful cover was no different and I enjoyed every minute of this uplifting, sweet, cosy read which has the most idyllic of settings and of course the prerequisite dash of romance thrown in too. This time around our attentions focus on Paige Dougall. She is jobless and homeless for the next four weeks and so has returned to the village of her birth to stay for awhile at Kindness Cottage with her parents. She hasn’t been home in six years since she eloped and left her personal dreams behind and perhaps she didn’t leave on the best of circumstances. Paige not having been back in quite a while and the relatively recent trauma in her personal life and the guilt she feels over this means that when she arrives back home neither her heart nor her mind are in a good place. But she has to keep going for the light of her life, her daughter Grace. The one thing she feels she really excels at given all the failures she perceives she has.

Paige is a character whom the reader can see so much potential in, and I think so could her family and the people she meets in Lockton, but she was just so down on herself. She had such love for books and a unique talent for matching the right book to the right person but she didn’t believe in her capabilities. The fact she was viewing her time back in Lockton as a stop gap before she could return to work after being signed off on stress was another issue which really prevented her from embracing al the natural goodness and support that was surrounding her in Lockton. She wasn’t in a great frame of mind and clearly wasn’t ready to share things with anybody but deep down there is an urge within her that she is trying to bury. An urge to confess all, to talk about the trauma she has endured and to want to make up for all her failures. Will Lockton be able to weave its magic if she allows the barriers to come down?

Paige radiated stress and anxiety. She wears a permanent frown, supressing emotions and never letting herself relax. You really just wanted to wrap her up in cotton wool and give her a huge hug and tell her that everything was going to be OK. She might have made a mistake six years ago, and she is finding this hard to admit out loud, but I just knew if she could turn things around I just knew she would have a more positive outlook on life be able to embrace what was there waiting for her in Lockton. She was placing such huge expectations on herself combined with the burden of guilt unnecessarily in my opinion. She wants to be great at her job, be the world’s most amazing mother, give Grace a house, security, a perfect life and to be a success and make her family proud and this is all achievable but something is holding her back and she is failing to realise her true potential. She is carrying so much that she needs to let go of. Simply she needs to unload and give herself a break from being far too harsh on herself. I thought Paige was perfectly developed as a character, you could identify with and feel sympathy for her but at the same time as a reader you wanted her to get out there and confront and stand up to what had been dragging her down for so long.

A surprise encounter with a dog named Mack, ensuing a very humorous scene with the contents of her suitcase, leads to Paige meeting Johnny Becker. They get off on the wrong foot but yet a flicker of interest implants itself in her belly but the way Paige is she does her best to ignore it. This chemistry is so evident between the pair the entire way through the book that you are waiting for that moment when they actually realise it about each other. But of course some twists and turns, soul searching and some community efforts have to be explored before that point of realisation and acceptance could ever be reached. Johnny was a soul who I felt was so similar to Paige. There was something haunting him too, preventing him from the being the best he could be in his profession as a chef. He had had so much talent but drove himself too hard which led to not the best of circumstances. Johnny works at Apple Cross Inn, with his twin brother Davey, and he is happy doing that but you could see he really was wasting his talents doing the bare minimum. Maybe news of a leading restaurant guide showing interest in featuring the pub in their books might make him change his mind?

Johnny had done a lot of soul searching and taken a long time to find himself, to understand what made him happy. He enjoys his life and the pace of it, he can do what he wants without anyone judging him or expecting anything. But the arrival of Paige has Johnny revaluating things and he sees a fragility in her he wants to fix. Maybe he had felt this way before previously and knows the way to sort things out. They share a kindred connection through both experiencing similar feelings and how they dealt with them. I loved how they started to open up to each other and help each other out and you were just rooting for both of them to have a happy ending but also for them to understand the world wasn’t so serious. There are room for imperfections and for mistakes to be made and things to go wrong but they can be tackled head on and you can emerge stronger through the other side.

The book wasn’t entirely about Paige and Johnny and how they navigated their issues. I loved and embraced the strand of the story centred around the reopening of the library following the passing of Aileen who had been a mentor to Paige in what seemed like a previous life. The Book Barn needs someone to take over the reins, to guide it in the right direction or some other person will get their hands on it and ruin everything. I loved the way this character featured again. He was just so unbearable and over powering that I think his actions gave Paige the spurt she needed to dig in and give a hand alongside Johnny to get the library up and running and for the grant for this to be approved. I loved the small element of magic so to speak with books appearing where she hadn’t left them and in turn Paige matched books to the right person. But Paige was like a dog with a bone insisting she has her career on London that she has to get back on track. There will be a new house waiting for her and she can secure a future for herself. I wanted to give her a good shake at this point as I couldn’t fathom why she couldn’t see what was all around her. That Lockton and its many wonderful residents were ready to embrace her if only she would let them in.

I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending Summer in the Scottish Highlands. It’s the ideal read for this time of year sitting relaxing in the garden and being whisked away to a wonderful, impactful and special location with a cast of characters and attention grabbing storylines to match. I found I flew through this because I couldn’t leave it out of my hands and I hope perhaps a return visit around Christmas time this year might materialise because as I said in the beginning this is a series that I hope goes on and on because it is quite simply the best thing Donna Ashcroft has written so far.

Summer in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft is a sweet and charming book about healing and fresh starts.
Paige Dougall returns to the small village of Lockton for a much needed respite from her stressful life. Intending to spend just a few days with her parents, she is soon involved in a project with the local library, and befriending Johnny Becker who can relate to the toll that the pressures of life can take on a person.
The setting was beautiful and and showed the charm of this little village and its residents. I love seeing Johnny and Paige bring out the best in each other.

The perfect summer read. I look forward to future books by Donna Ashcroft.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Publishing for the advanced reader copy.

Summer in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft is a contemporary romance. in this story the main character Paige Dougall has decided to return home to the little village of Lockton in the Scottish Highlands. At thirty Paige feels that her life has fallen apart when only a short year ago she thought she had everything with a loving husband and her daughter but now she is going through a divorce.

Paige had every plan made to return to London after taking a break in Lockton with her daughter until she finds herself stepping into the job of helping set up the new library and meeting Johnny Becker. Paige keeps telling everyone that her work with the library is temporary but with her relationship with Johnny growing each day she doesn’t know if leaving is the right choice anymore.

Summer in the Scottish Highlands was originally titled Summer At Kindness Cottage pre-release and I have to say the first title and the cute cover is what drew me in. After reading though I could understand more the title change as the book didn’t seem to do the setting of either the cottage or the Scottish Highlands justice in my opinion. This story seemed to focus more on Paige’s regrowth and putting her life back together which was a nice story but I couldn’t help but wish the setting jumped out more. This sweet summer romance ended up at three and a half stars for me and made a nice, quick summery beach read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Summer in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft. What can I say other than it was a feel-good , light-hearted summer read and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Reminded me of a Hallmark romance movie.

Escape to the gorgeous little village of Lockton in the Scottish Highlands, where you’ll discover sunshine, secrets and an unforgettable romance. It’s the perfect place to be this summer…

The setting of a tiny village called Lockton in the Scottish Highlands, sounded breathtaking! It was heartwarming and made me laugh, the perfect read on a rainy summer day.

I literally didn't want to put it down once I'd started it and I finished it in one sitting. The characters are likeable and you get thoroughly caught up in the story as it unfolds.

This is a wonderful beach read and I'll definitely be reading more by this author.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Bookouture and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Paige is a young single mother who has been addicted to her work. Johnny is a chef who left a bustling life in NYC after a health scare to settle down in a small town in Scotland. THIS BOOK! The characters are all so charming. I love small town vibes in my comfort reads and this book delivers. The whole time I was rooting for Paige to open her eyes and see what is good for her. Honestly...who doesn't want to find a man like Johnny? I very much enjoyed this book becuase I've been in a bit of a reading slump and this was book was never tedious, and throughly enjoyable. I think you will like this book if you enjoy shows like Gilmore Girls or The Good Witch and movies like The Holiday!

Thank you to Donna Ashcroft, Bookouture Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC which is did not influence my review.

Pack your bags because this book is going to launch you to the Scottish Highlands. This uplifting, enjoyable and wonderful sweet romance is a captivating read. I really liked the characters and their relationships with each other we very relatable.

Paige Dougall has the perfect life, marriage, family, job until it all falls apart. Now single mother Paige leaves her job in London, takes her daughter, Grace and moves home to Lockton, Scotland. Life is quite an adjustment for them transitioning from the city life of London and to the quaint little village life of Lockton. Paige feels so out of place in life until she meets the local chef Johnny Becker. Chef Johnny helps Paige step out of her comfort zone and try some new things, mountain climbing, puppy training and of course food. The more time Paige and chef Johnny spend together the more their relationship develops, and they realize they are stronger than they thought they were. Will Paige decide she loves everything about the village and want to make it her home for herself and Grace or will she return to the big city life back in London? This uplifting story has all the feels. It is a feel good page turner, that keeps your attention from cover to cover.

Thank you Donna Ashcroft for this wonderful read, I was swept away. It was an charming read and a wonderful escape. I loved everything about this book and I highly recommend it.

Oh such a lovely read!
The story is heartwarming and definitely pulls you in right from the start. Loved both the setting and the characters. Adorable little Grace and puppy Mack are an added bonus!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an easy read and felt like a sweet, Hallmark movie. I loved all the characters, the scenery and of course, the story. This would be a great book to read by the pool. Fun and interesting with a beautiful plot.

Summer in the Scottish Highlands is Donna Ashcroft’s latest novel and it is a beautiful heartwarming read. We’re in the gorgeous village of Lockton where thirty year old Paige Dougall has returned home with her life in a mess. Twelve months ago she had a handsome husband, top job in London and a gorgeous daughter. Now the broken hearted single mother has returned to her family home to try to sort her life out. She’s too wrapped up in her worries to embrace village life until handsome chef Johnny Becker enters the scene providing some much needed distraction. Will Paige remember how to live again or will she return to London as broken as before?

I adored this book with its quirky characters. Well written and flows at a lovely pace. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

Let's talk about the cover--the front book cover is so pretty!!! I was instantly got attracted to the front cover that I didn't hesitate when I requested this book!

One year ago, Paige Dougall had a perfect life--a steady job, a handsome husband with a daughter named Grace and living in London. But that all came crashing down and Paige moves to Lockton with her daughter Grace for the summer, nursing her broken heart. While in Lockton, she meets Johnny, a handsome chef who owns an inn and who also used to own a restaurant back in New York. Both then meet each other to reopen a library and soon both Paige and Johnny become closer to each other.

Let's start with descriptions - I have never been to Scotland but the vivid descriptions of mountains in the Scottish countryside make the reader feel like they are actually living in Lockton. Through the author's writing I imagined myself in the beautiful picturesque village in Scotland

Plot and the characters--though I do like how the library became a backdrop and background of the story that actually brought Johnny and Paige closer--what I like is how the romance slowly developed between the two characters. Both Paige and Johnny seemed to have a past and they both eventually became friends which soon developed into a romance. Oh, I also like Grace and of course Johnny's dog Mack! Nearly all the characters in the book are likable!

Verdict:- Overall this is a cozy, romantic story that will take you to the beautiful scenic village in the heart of Scotland. There were some parts in the story that was a bit boring but nonetheless, I enjoyed reading this book--worth four stars!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

🌄Solidly delightful women's fiction with a little Grace!🏰👸

4.5🌟 stars
Paige and Johnny: both turn up in little Scottish Lockton and find family, friends, a change of pace and kindness enough to counteract their hectic career experiences in the big city. I've read several of Ashcroft's excellent earlier novels set in fictional Lockton and Paige's story, like the others, is filled with memorable characters and some tough introspection and decisions for the lead characters. It's a standalone story with lots of heart. A rapscallion of a retriever named Mack and a little three year-old charmer named Grace added to its appeal and made it a lovely addition to the Lockton novels.

The romance develops gradually, stays clean and revs up the enjoyment factor. But community spirit and some side romantic developments also added interest. And, not to be forgotten, the author includes some well-drawn descriptions of the beauties of the Scottish countryside.

Recommended. Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

This is a lovely light hearted summer read about Paige and her young daughter Grace returning to Paige's childhood home in Lockton in the Highlands. It was also nice to read (but only in passing) about some characters I had met in a previous book. This book can definitely be read as a standalone though.

Such a lovely book. I adored the setting and the characters. The story was heartwarming and engaging, It really pulled you in. A perfect summer read.

Paige returns to her childhood home in the Scottish highlands when her supposedly perfect life implodes, there she meets Jonny who is fighting his own demons. Can they put the past behind them and learn to trust again? The likeable characters and beautiful location make this a perfect summer read. As soon as I finished it I searched for more books from Donna Ashcroft to enjoy.