Member Reviews
I liked the book, but I did not love it - though I loved the idea and premise of it. Paige's character just didn't sit well with me. I still enjoyed reading it, and I'm sure romance lovers will enjoy it as well.
I am sorry for the delayed review. New job and new state is keeping me busy.
This book was ok. I didn't always like Paige's character, especially when she just immediately broke up with her ex because of the lack of proposing plans. That type of thing has to take time in real life.
I did like the friendship between her and James but that also seemed to be instant love. At times it was hard to get into it but I did like the parts about Michigan.
Thank you Netgalley and publishers for the chance to read and review. This was a three star rating.
4.5 stars
Read if you love:
๐ Insta-love
๐ Scottish heroes
๐ Libraries
๐ Personal growth
๐ Michigan
๐ Road trips
๐ Art
๐ Single POV
๐ Meaningful tattoos
โ๐๐ค๐ช ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ช๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ช๐ฉ๐๐๐ช๐ก ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฉ, ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ ๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ช๐ฉ๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ก๐๐๐ง๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ข๐.โ
After breaking up with her commitment-phobe boyfriend after six years of dating, Paige feels lost and only sees a bleak and lonely future ahead of her. But when she meets a visiting Scotsman during a shift at the library, things start to change for the better. The problem is that James is only in town for eight weeks and just when she feels like she may have found true happiness, a future of unknowns threatens to take away all that Paige has finally found.
This turned out to be such a delightful and heartwarming read. Iโm usually not into insta-love, but it was so well done in this story. It was very natural and never felt over the top. Paige and James had great chemistry and complimented each other so well. You could easily tell how much James cared about Paige through her POV. I loved that this story was set in Michigan and it was fun to explore the state with the characters. The road trip was perfect at solidifying the relationship building between Paige and James, but it was also fun for the reader! I definitely learned about some places in Michigan that would be so much fun to visit. Paigeโs personally growth throughout the story was a definite highlight. She was able to overcome her fears and stand up for herself. It was wonderful to see the happiness that resulted from that. James was a super sweet, cuddly Scotsman. I loved his unique artistry and how it connected him and Paige further. This is such a feel-good romance that you truly canโt go wrong with!
Thank you to 8N Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC. My thoughts are my own.
I enjoyed the happy romance. I thought it was strange she ended her previous relationship because he didn't propose when she wanted. But it worked out because she met a handsome bloke. ๐ Sometimes I was annoyed with Paige but she was a very nice friend. I didn't hate this book but I didn't really connect or love the characters. If you are looking for a light hearted romance, this is the book for you.
Scotsman in the Stacks is a cute, wholesome, fluffy romance between a librarian and an artist. As someone who aspires to be a librarian one day (and is one in many daydreams), I was so excited to dive in! It doesn't hurt that the love interest, James, is a handsome Scotsman with a delicious accent either.
Paige and James' romance is sweet and slow. The writing was quite detailed but not necessarily with the details I was looking forward to reading. There were no high-stakes but that might've been the case because the story moved a bit too slowly for my tastes. While the book took a while to get through, I liked the happy ending! Thank you NetGalley and 8N Publishing for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Nearing thirty, Paige just got out of a long-term relationship with the wrong man and she's determined to find the one she wants to marry. But when scotsman James arrives in town for a summerartist residency, she can't resist his accent, his muscles, and his easy flirting. Can she convince him she's worth the long run?
Maybe I'm biased because this sweet romance is set in my home state, but I really enjoyed the descriptions of the area. I've always loved books set in libraries so I was immediately attracted to the story. My only issue was the slow build got a bit to slow at times. The phonetic spelling of his scottish accent was fun...loved it!
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.
This is a cute novel about the love between a librarian and an artist.ย
I really wish I'd liked the book better, but it was boring. There are very few characters, everything is always kind of happy, there is no big conflicts and not a lot going on.
Paige and James's first encounter was really cute and the interactions between them too, but it was clear what was going to happen from the start, there were no surprises or interesting things.
Paige's biggest concerns were whether she would be promoted in her job and if she could stay in the apartment she was living in. It took almost the entire book to solve these.
There could have been more scenes about Paige's book club, James talking about his art, more characters to move the story around, the two protagonists traveling to Scotland, one meeting the other's parents. Anything to make the book less monotonous.
And an exhausting point was Paige always talking about how she wanted to have the life that Kayla, her only friend, has. I understand the frustration with the fact that she hasn't found anyone to marry yet, but the way she spoke throughout the book was so tiring.
Anyway, I found the final scene cute. Complementing the scene of how they met. It was kinda of a nice read.
This book was read thanks to NetGalley.
Sorry for not publishing my review sooner, i had some family emergencies to do first.
Hi! I really liked this book, is in my words a begin again novella, we follow or FMC that ended up a long relationship and we follow her as she starts dating again at 29, which isn't old but when you have been in a long relationship that many years breaking up can be hard at any age.
I really liked the character, the way they live and we follow them and how natural their relationship seems to evolve.
I recommend this book for all the romance lovers out there.
A fun read about a librarian who falls for a scot. Who doesnโt love the scots? Grab this one!
Paige wanted to be married and start a family and after wasting 6.5 years in her previous relationship became single at 29.
Red haired James- I could not help but think of Red Haired Jamie in Outlander. The goatee, Iโll be honest I was not into. Lol
Thank you to Netgalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the online ARC.
This book was such a cute wholesome rom-com no fuss no muss. It was a easy read super clean really enjoyed it.
Thanks #NetGalley for an advanced copy of #ScotsmanintheStacks for an honest review.
This was a cute romance between a part time librarian and an artistic Scotsman. It's a fun premise but I didn't care for Paige's character at times. This book had some sweet moments but it was a little boring at times.
Paige, a part time librarian, was jilted in her last relationship. When a handsome man comes into the library, Paige can't help but keep her eye out for him. When they do meet, James is ever the gentleman, and Scottish to boot. (Who doesn't love their accents?) There is definite interest there but the problem is that James is returning to Scotland in two months Paige is looking to settle down, not for a summer fling. When she offers to show him around Michigan, things heat up.
Opinion
This is a slow, sweet love story that I wouldn't mind putting into the hands of my teenage daughter. The build up to something more was perfect. I was able to feel their frustrations with James' limited time in the States.
This book is perfect for those looking for a sweeter romance, fans of foreigners and romance lovers in general. This book should be added to your summer read list if you want something on the slow burn side of things.
Many thanks to Net Galley and to 8N Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Paige and James meet when he is a visiting artist and he visits the library where she works. Can it be more than a fling when his time in the US is limited, or will he break her heart?
Scotsman in the Stacks is an adorable Michigan based romance that will leave you feeling hopeful in love.
I make sure to include Michigan based in my description because so much of the book is focused on the wonders provided in the beautiful state of Michigan. It felt like I was getting an actual tour of places that seem to be close to the authors heart.
I managed to fall in love with each and every character. They were sweet and I appreciated how well they all meshed together. They all lifted one another up and supported those around them. It was refreshing to see good characters that overcame challenges that didnโt involve miscommunication or cruel people.
As someone who grew up wanting to be a librarian, I ate up all the scenes where Paige was working. They were detailed and made me feel like I was actually watching her work. Iโve also dealt with my fair share of difficult customers, so I felt her pain when she was dealing with the more difficult library patrons.
There were times when the plot felt a bit forced, or when so many things seemed to happen unrealistically quickly. That made parts feel choppy and slow, despite the fact that so much was happening. For example, the descriptions of Michigan, while beautiful, distracted from the actual storyline, and made it a little harder to focus on Paige and James.
Overall, this was a perfect start of summer read. It was fast and light and brought me so much joy
Scotsman in the Stacks is Alana Oxfordโs newest sweet romantic comedy. The story begins with 29-year-old Paige preparing dinner for her longtime boyfriend, Dylan. After 6ยฝ years, she is tired of waiting on him to propose so she is going to do the asking. When she broaches the subject with him, he suggests that she move in with him when her lease expires to see if they are compatible. She realizes that he is still waiting on someone better and dumps him.
The story then jumps six months forward after the proposal debacle. Paige is a part-time librarian in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and hopes to get a full-time position. When she is offered the opportunity to lead a book discussion group previously led by a retiring librarian, she accepts in hopes that it will help her career. She meets a handsome Scottish man, James MacKinnon, when he applies for a library card. He is in Michigan for eight weeks for a summer artist residency program. They connect and begin a sweet romance, visiting different spots in Michigan.
I really liked the premise of the book but was disappointed in the writing. There was great detail of the physical appearance of every character and the language used seemed to be vernacular of senior citizens, not 20-somethings. The reader was provided insight into Paigeโs every thought; the story would have been better if written in โdeep POVโ. This book will appeal to readers who are senior citizens or are enthralled with Hallmark movies. Clean romantic comedy is my preferred genre, but this story was boring, in my opinion.
I received an advance review copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.
Cute book but felt like something was missing. The characters were alright, but nothing about them or their story really grabbed me.
Thank you NetGallery for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This cute story follows Paige - who is a part time librarian in Michigan. After a recent breakup she is determined to fine her forever man, and go from part time to full time at her library. โจโจMMC James, is a Scotsman who is in Paigeโs town looking to clear his head for a bit, and have some peace while making his art. The last thing he expected was to find her - their instant attraction to one another in undeniable. However, heโs only in town for the summer - so that means he is off limits to Paige. โจโจThis was my first read from Alana Oxford. This small town rom-com had a lot of potential. The cover is super adorable, and the description incredibly enticing. However - this one just missed the mark for me. It was a bit hard to get through honestly, and although there are some honest good moments that had me pressing on - it just dragged. DNFโd at 30%
I've only been reading romances for a few years, and I loved the sound lf "Scotsman", but this one is a no for me.
I wanted to like bookish 29-year-ols librarian Paige,I saw myself in the description of her that came with the ARC provided by NetGalley. But we really do not jive, Paige and I. From the start, Paige has the attitude that she won't be happy until she has the perfect husband, house and bouncing baby. I found this tiring immediately. "If only the perfect man would walk into my library, my life would be perfect." And then he did. And then it was. And boy, was that boring and a little offensive. The most frustrating point for me was when Paige had a big job opportunity on the horizon and was too distracted by the woes of this guy she just met to focus on it. She still gets the job, thanks mostly to him, and that was annoying too. In the end, Paige gets everything she wants because of "the perfect guy." I really wanted to see her learn to love herself and grow in her independence but I guess this wasn't that type of romance. My first 1 star in a while.
Paige is ready for new steps in her life: sheโs desperate for her boyfriend to finally take the next step and propose. But when she realises that she and her boyfriend are on different pages, she makes the decision to end the relationship. Itโs not long after that she encounters James, a Scottish artist temporarily living in the US. Theyโre instantly drawn to one another, but with Paige settled on finding something serious for her next relationship, sheโs not sure if she wants to take a chance on a man will be going back to Scotland in a few weeks.
I have mixed feelings about this book. Itโs definitely not a bad book - the writing is good and I thought the plot was well-paced. Itโs very, very gentle: I think my main comment on this book as a whole is that itโs just not very exciting. Not a lot really happens. The romance between James and Paige is very sweet and follows the structure of actual dating followed by serious feelings. None of that is a bad thing - it just wasnโt really for me. I didnโt feel particularly invested in their relationship or in them as characters. There just wasnโt enough conflict or external plot to keep me interested and whilst the writing was strong, I didnโt find this a very engaging book. Though again - I want to stress, itโs well-written and I think if youโre looking for something gentle and simple then this could be the book for you. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Content Notes: Medical emergency (side character, off-page), pregnancy (side character), childbirth (on-page, side character), Caesarian section / surgery (on-page, side character), closed door / no on-page sex.
This is a cute and enjoyably light-hearted romance and an ode to Michigan.
The sights, the quirks, the food and drink as well as local restaurants all get mentioned. It was very fun to read since I have lived in the Detroit area for three years and a lot of places mentioned in the book seemed quite familiar.
As far as the romance goes: at 29 and after a disappointing long term relationship Paige is determined to find her match, get married, settle down and have kids. Sheโs a librarian in Michigan when she James, a sexy Scotsman whoโs in town doing an artistโs residency for eight weeks. The attraction is immediate and sparks fly, but Paige does not want to risk her heart for a summer fling.
I enjoyed the library setting and the story was cute.