Firstly thank you netgalley for this early read.
Sophie was a wedding planner at her local hotel - she was much put upon and overworked. Loving her job but getting more resentful and less respected by the hour.
Sophie’s gran has just died and on her day off she goes along to help her parents to box up her man’s belongings.
What’s she finds there addressed to her starts her on a new road.
This is a great read, really enjoyable.

Julie Shackman's A Scottish Highland Surprise, was an incredible reading experience from beginning to end.

Right off, I could tell I would really love the town of Briar Glen and especially our main character, wedding planner, Sophie. She was a woman of principle and I love that about her. When faced with the choice to go against her beliefs and stay secure or to stand up for what was right and lose her job--Sophie chose the latter.

But, not to worry, Sophie's grandmother left her provided for--with a shop to run all on her own!

And Sophie rises to the challenge with the help of her parents and some new friends in Briar Glen.

Sophie was a delight to read about and her journey from obscure woman who wasn't too sure of herself, to savvy business woman with a successful shop--and relationship--was an inspiration.

This story had bits of non-linear storytelling as we learned about Sophie's grandmother and just what inspired her to leave Sophie this particular shop.

With moments of mystery, romance, and humor--this book was a delight!

This review will be live at the link provided on 4/27/22.

Sophie is surprised when her grandmother bequeaths her a porcelain shop. After quitting her very demanding job as a wedding planner, where she feels undervalued, Sophie is excited to start on this new path.

While preparing for the shop opening, a mysterious tea-set lands at her door and when renowned art critic, Xander North, is tasked to help her Sophie is excited to find out the backstory behind the tea set, and maybe fall a little in love along the way.

This was a delightful enjoyable read.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Sophie Harkness is a wedding planner, who refuses to move a friends wedding for a bridezilla who gets everything she wants. She leaves her job and finds herself wondering what to do next. She then discovers her late grandmother had purchased a shop just before she died. She decides to open up a porcelain shop to honour her grandmother’s memory. Sophie is left an unusual and expensive tea set in which she finds a mysterious letter by an unknown person. She decides to read the letter and try to discover the story behind it. She contacts art critic Xander North to help her locate where the tea set originated from. When Xander arrives at the shop he turns Sophie’s head in a way that sh3 could never imagine.

I don't know where to start because this book was amazing and actually gave a lot more than just an average romance book would.

This is the story of Sophie who's grandmother has recently passed away and has bought a local shop for her to set up a porcelain shop.

She comes into ownership of a mysterious tea set and finds a letter within which has Sophie investigating the story behind the tea set. This is where the moody and aloof Xander comes in to help her appraise the tea set.

I loved that we not only got Sophie and Xanders story but also Sophie's grandmothers back story as well as the mystery of the tea set.

Such an enjoyable and entertaining story. Just what I needed!

🌄Three eras and tea sets to bind them all☕

The Scottish setting first drew me to this story and Julie Shackman's previous novel. I enjoyed this one, particularly the poignant story of the modern female lead Sophie's deep connection to her recently-deceased grandmother and the glimpses given of her grandmother Helena's life as a young mother in the 1970's and her hopes and dreams.

A love of beautiful tea sets provides the continuity element that leads from the present to the 1970's and even further back to 1900 and a mysterious letter penned by Briar Forsyth and attached to a unique tea set produced by a renowned local artist. Sophie gets deeply caught up in the search for the true story behind the letter and the journey of turn of the century tea set into her hands. Her search brings Xander, an art critic and historian, into her sphere and another mystery involving deep-rooted antagonism between two men in Sophie's life unfolds, bringing some romance with it.

But Sophie is totally oblivious of her grandmother's own story and her motivations for gifting Sophie a local shop and a way to get her new crockery business up and running. I actually wish the author had focused more on Helena's story and Sophie delving more into this mystery. I was more intrigued by Helena's troubles than those of Briar Forsyth.

As for Sophie's romance, I just did not feel the connection between her and the terse man she falls for. They don't spend enough quality time together to my mind.

Overall, it's a positive story and an easy read with mystery and romance set in idyllic small community in Scotland. I liked it.

Thanks to HarperCollins/One More Chapter and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Sophie Harkness is a successful, hard working wedding planner, but when an obnoxious bride wants her wedding moved regardless of the inconvenience, or the disappointment to others, she refuses.

Determined not to disappoint her friend, whose son’s wedding was booked on the day bridezilla was angling for, Sophie wouldn’t change her mind despite her sycophantic boss. Things became so fraught and untenable that Sophie felt her only option was to hand in her notice.

Sophie may have found a solution to her dilemma as she and her parents were sorting though her Gran’s house, in the form of a letter addressed to herself. Sophie and her Gran had been very close and both loved the china tea sets Gran had collected over the years.

According to the letter there were some very special crockery collections for Sophie, packed in boxes under the stairs. Her Gran’s one great regret was that she hadn’t opened a crockery shop. Knowing the pressure Sophie was under at the hotel she had bought a shop for her, in the hope she would start her own business, with the stock she had accumulted as an incentive.

A Scottish Highland Surprise is an easy, enjoyable read with a mystery to solve, set in a delightful location. I enjoyed the way the elements of the story were woven together — the appearance of the antique tea set that comes into Sophie’s possession, with its mysterious accompanying letter, the backstory of her Gran’s life and of course the romance, which doesn’t go at all smoothly — and how they all played out. Perfect for the armchair traveller and those who love picturesque Scottish villages.

A fairly light romantic read with a touch of intrigue and mystery set in Scotland. I liked the way that any possible romantic interest didn't appear until about a third of the way through the book, as once it did there were, at times excruciating, misunderstandings and assumptions which slightly sidetracked the reader. The ending, although somewhat predictable, felt a little rushed. A pleasant enough holiday book with a good portrayal of characters, although they felt a little shallow.

What a lovely read!!! I was enraptured from the start and quite honestly, I want to escape to Scotland myself!! A thoroughly enjoyable read with a wonderful plot

Such a heartwarming story with descriptive details of the beautiful setting and atmosphere. Perfect for a feel good read.

This was such a delightful read and one, that when I started I could not put it down. It was definitely a case of "just one more chapter then I'll go to bed!".

There is only so much that wedding planner Sophie can deal with when it comes to demanding brides. So from wedding planner to shop owner in a few days is not something she had envisioned. The shop has already been bought, she has some items that will give her the money to buy her stock and get things ready. The downside is that this is the final wish of her grandmother.

The shop is one that sounds just amazing and I will admit not the first thing that I would think of if I have left this opportunity. Luckily the author knows what readers like and so a shop that sells tea sets and crockery was the focus. Tea is something I and my husband drink a lot of, we are the "dunk the bag in the mug" drinkers, but I do drag the old pot and cosy out in the winter so it can sit by the fire to keep warm and we can have a second stewed brew. After reading this book I know want a nice teapot to go with my china and porcelain teacups and saucers.

The teapots and the history of some of the more collectable ones were really interesting and I admit that the author really sold me on this being the best use for the shop that Sophie has taken on. Now, this isn't a straightforward story where Sophie gets the shop, sells the pots and things are great. Oh no, this is one that comes with mysteries, one of which accompanies a mysterious set from 1900 and how it came to be handed in at the shop. This is a brilliant storyline and one that kept popping in and out of the story along with the story of Sophies Gran.

If the mystery and the interesting information about the tea sets weren't enough the author has also wound in a confusing time for Sophie with two male characters. Very chalk and chees these guys are. One comes across as aloof and cold, the other has that cheeky chap aura about him. How will they impact Sophie when she already has enough on her plate researching the mystery tea set and also trying to get her shop ready for opening! Well, you will just have to grab a copy to find out.

This was an adorable story and one that I really loved everything about it. It has mystery, romance, intrigue and gorgeous descriptions throughout. One for fans of contemporary fiction, mystery and romance. It is one I would definitely recommend.

Fun read that had enough intrigue to stop you wanting to put the book down. Loved the family history involved as well as the description of everyday life. I would have liked it to ignore the distraction of the artist in Glasgow which didn't really resonate however take me to everyday life with the village and I really enjoyed.

An entertaining and easy read

Thank you OneMore Chapter-Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

Event planner at Castle Marrian, Sophie Harkness, immediately resigns her job when the head of HR insists she accepts a self-centred bride's demand that her wedding is held on Christmas Eve and the pre-booked wedding be pushed aside.

She's now able to pursue her late grandmother's wish for Sophie to open a porcelain shop in town, initially financed by the sale of her grandmother's valuable fine china collection. With no retail experience but an enthusiastic love of ceramics passed on to her from her grandmother, Sophie prepares to open the shop when a woman gives her a box containing a beautiful antique tea set and a letter dated 1900.

Attempting to reveal the history of this antique tea set, Sophie requests professional help from Xander North, a Fine Art and Ceramic expert, in the search for the truth they constantly misunderstand each other.

Billed as a romance, this a really a mystery with a romantic end.

A Scottish Highland Surprise by Julie Shackman was a wonderful read. I felt immersed in Scotland and the Scottish culture. This book was so enjoyable to read and so sweet. The characters bring you in from the start as they are so great! Perfect book for getting lost in and imagining yourself in Scotland!

A lovely read which is great for a holiday read. It follows the adventures of Sophie and her family, her new business and what about the tea set ? Keeps you turning the page and is enjoyable from first to last page
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter

If you are looking for a nice and easy read romance with a hint of a mystery, then this is definitely a book to go for.

This was ok, not bad but also not very good. Middle of the road. Loads of the story made no sense and the “romance” felt forced and too whirlwind at the end. I really dislike when the leads are facing off throughout a book or have miscommunications and then bam they are suddenly in love in the last chapter or two. It’s like unfinished business. Don’t spend so much time on unnecessary stories and give us more of the romance blossoming.

A Scottish Highland Surprise is really enjoyable escapist read that left me feeling uplifted. It's the perfect cosy read.

What a sweet, enjoyable book that was go read. Good characters that you got into from the start. An easy story that kept you intrigued enough to keep on reading. Perfect book for sitting in the sunshine in the summer or on the sofa in winter.

A really great story, easy to read and enjoyable throughout. You feel Sophie's emotions throughout and it is well written.