This was a very cute and enjoyable read. Long lost loves, a mysterious cottage in the woods, betrayal, and reunions. There wasn’t much romance included but the story worked well.

Leonie is a journalist. She had been working at the local newspaper until an unfortunate eveny led the newspaper to shut down. She lost her job just before Christmas and she was devastated. One day she decided to go for a long walk with her dog, little did she know that this would be the beginning of a new adventure.
She accidentally found an abandoned cottage with a beautiful garden with cherry blossom trees and creamy tea roses. When she went closer to where a window was located, she took a glimpse inside and was surprised by the way it was furnished, the sofas, the carpet the family photographs on the walls. But something else caught her attention, a Christmas present wrapped up in red shinny paper, on a table. And that was the begining of the adventure.. What could have happened? How could this house be abandoned and that present left wrapped on the table?
Leonie was determined to solve that mystery!

I really loved this story. It was intriguing and held my interest till the end. The chapters were short and easy to read, which is something I really like when I read a book. If you want to read a unique, heart-felt story about love, friendship and you love mysteries too then you should defently read this one!!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One more Chapter for the chance to read this beautiful story!

Recently, I have been interested in cosy, feel-good reads. The kind of books with pretty illustrations of countryside houses or colourful gardens. I know what I'm looking for when I see it, and when I saw the cover of this book, the charming illustration with the eye-catching fonts and colours appealed to me.

I thought this book was delightful. I hadn't read any of the other books in the series, but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book at all. I related to Leonie, and sympathised with her situation. I was looking for a feel-good book, and what I found was that this did make me feel good - it warmed my heart and made me smile, without anything being overly sentimental or sugar-coated. There were a few moments during the story when I found myself chuckling too.

This reminded me a little bit of Milly Johnson's books, which I've also been enjoying recently. It seems like the perfect kind of book to read if you want something that will cheer you up, or just want to relax and escape for a while. I would be interested in reading some more of the books in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to read and review.

Journalist Leonie is made redundant at the newspaper she loves so she reluctantly seeks and secures a job at another more glamorous one called Goddess, though with a tartar of a boss and a rocky start. She and her boyfriend have also recently parted ways so two life changes cause her to reflect. On a walk with her dog she discovers a hidden cottage with a rather eccentric neighbour. The encounter with Lily is rocky, too. But life is unexpected and Leonie's journalistic tendencies kick in as does her curious nature. There is just something about that cottage and its history she becomes obsessed with. In her search for answers she meets others, including Flynn. We also see glimpses of her parents and a letter sparks further intrigue.

Leonie's deduction skills aren't exactly clever and we don't get to know enough about one of the love interests (yes, there is more than one which is compelling). If only it felt more Scottish...Scotland drips with atmosphere which isn't very evident. However, it is still worth the read, particularly if you are seeking a light romance of sorts with a dollop of mystery to get lost in. Hidden cottages and secrets are always fun draws!

My sincere thank you HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this charmer.

The Cottage in the Highlands by Julie Shackman released 1st of December 2022.

A big thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was my first book by Julie Shackman and I really loved it. I will definitely look for her older books.

I think this book has two stories. One is about Leonie Baxter who works at the local newspaper in her town. Sadly the newspaper will be shut down and she finds herself without a job. Leonie sends out some job applications and lands a job at the magazine Goddess and its infamous owner. Here we will read about the struggles she has finding her place at her new workplace. She works as the beauty editor even though she knows nothing about beauty and it wasn’t the job she applied for.


One day when she is feeling very sad she takes her dog for a walk and ends up at an abandoned house with a gorgeous garden, and here is where the second story starts because it’s here we meet Lilly Cruickshank who lives in a small cottage near the house. Leonie wants to know everything she can about the house with the garden but doesn't get much information from Lilly. She starts to investigate and finds out some more and as the story develops we learn more and more about Lilly and the Talbots that are the owners of the abandoned house.

I really loved this book. Leonie was a really likable character and I loved that it was so important to her to keep her promises even though she is a journalist. The book has a lot of twists and turns, some family secrets, love and second chances. There is one person I did not like in the beginning and it was her new colleague Kerry. But as the story went on she won my heart.

Another one I could not put down and devoured in one sitting. I absolutely recommend this book. Be ready for an afternoon or evening of completely neglecting any chores as this one will have you hooked within the first chapter. I live for books that leave me speechless and this book did just that. I actually feel quite sorry for the next book that I read because there is no way it be able to compete with this delicious romantic read.

I enjoyed this book about a Journalist who loses her job at the local paper and ends up taking a job at a major magazine as a beauty editor. You get to see how she struggles with her new job but ends up helping one of her coworkers as they investigate a story and end up in danger. Also while out with her puppy she stumbles upon a abandoned home that is left just like it was when it was deserted. She uncovers a story there and ends up with a hea

A charming story about friendship and lost love. Leonie doesn't understand the small seemingly abandoned house she finds in the woods nor does she understand why Lily, an older woman, shuts her down when she wants to talk about it. A journalist, she's not about to give up and then she finds the letter. No spoilers from me but this did turn out to be different than I expected it to be. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Good characters and fine storytelling make this a good read.

It's a very slow start, takes a while to get invested in the story. It was kind of an awkward slog, not until the 50% mark does it get interesting.

Girl is a little dumb and naive. Really, you can't figure out the guy with the same name but 45 years younger is just the guy's grandson? If you can't figure that out no one on earth would give you an investigative journalism job.

Now she's both revealing a source AND sharing someone else's private medical info? Mo way this girl's not getting hauled before an ethics board. And then just HAPPENS upon a huge story tip without having to do any work? Lazy.

The pacing is just all wrong. The first 3/4 is slow and drags, and then it's all hurry and resolve everything, everyone has immediate changes of heart and 40 years' absence is glossed over. How are we supposed to believe they're madly in love? They've literally had three scenes together, there's absolutely no chemistry or progression in the story. So many details are left out or jumped over and it just doesn’t work well.

What a beautiful, heart-felt story. The characters were relatable and real, the plot was interesting, and the scenery description transported me right into the book. Truly an enjoyable read from cover to cover!
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A tear jerker of a romance, set in Scotland and with beautiful descriptions of the scenery and with characters you really care about. Definitely going to be reading more y Julie Shackman

Loved this book and once the first page was turned I just had to finish it
My thanks as always to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter for the pleasure of the early read

Thank you to NetGalley for this copy. This is a really good book, kept me entertained throughout and I would thoroughly recommend to all.

I really enjoyed reading this book & following the stories of not only the two main characters, Flynn and Leonie, but also two characters & star-crossed lovers from 50 years before whose story brings Leonie & Flynn together,
A great storyline featuring fully-formed & believable characters. This book held my interest from start to finish. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an advance copy of this title for review. All opinions are my own and are honestly given.

After loving the first two books in the Scottish Escapes series by Julie Shackman, I was so excited to receive an ARC for The Cottage in the Highlands. In this entry in the series, journalist Leonie Baxter finds herself at a crossroads— single and unsure about her career after she is laid off from her hometown newspaper and unwittingly hired on as a beauty editor at a glossy city magazine. One day, she and her puppy go for a walk in the local woods, only discover a mysterious house that seems to be frozen in time, full of furnishings but no tenants. Her journalist’s nose for a story won’t let her forget the mysterious house even after the house’s neighbor, Lily Cruickshank, attempts to discourage her, and her primary lead, photographer Flynn Talbot (whose name appeared on documents related to the house), is cagey about answering any questions about Merry Wood. In digging deeper into this story, Leonie uncovers mysteries from fifty years ago and has the chance to help set them right in the present— and perhaps to find love in the process.

The perfect blend of romance, women’s fiction, and a bit of mystery, The Cottage in the Highlands is a wonderful addition to this series. The characters are warm, empathetic, and compelling, and readers are drawn along as Leonie figures out what she wants from her life (including a possible romance) while also unraveling the secrets surrounding a fifty-year old love story. Readers of Shackman’s previous novels or fans of women’s fiction or romance will find a lot to like in this charming festive read. 4.25 stars

The Cottage in the Highlands is a cozy, feel-good read. I really enjoyed this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read that has a really likeable character at the centre of it all!

Leonie is a reporter at the local paper and loves her job - unfortunately the paper hits hard times and she's forced out. She's devastated as it plays such a major part of her life so has to rethink where she goes in the future. Whilst out on a walk to clear her mind, she comes across a mystery house in the woods and her inquisitive mind wants to know more!! This leads her down a path of uncovering secrets from the past while discovering new opportunities for her future!

This had such a lovely mix of mystery and drama going on, all in a really lovely setting and was a wonderful escape for a few hours!!

Enjoyed reading this book. More thought provoking than I expected. Lots of secrets and a few unpleasant characters too. Will be recommending on the blog tour

I really loved this book! If you’re looking to be swept away by a lively cast of characters, this story is for you. Shackman gives readers mystery, drama, struggles through family dynamics, romance, and spirited characters. This book is the perfect escape when you need to just get away or want to fall into a fun story. Perfect for those nights when you want to sink in and get lost.

This was a cute and very entertaining mystery with a good dose of romance.. Leonie is fresh off a bad break up and finds out her newspaper is closing and she’ll soon be out of a job. As she frantically tries to figure out where her life is headed, she finds a beautiful abandoned cottage. While peeking in the windows and the garden, she runs into a grumpy, tight lipped and overly protective old lady who lives near the cottage. Why was she so protective? What happened to the owners of the cottage? Why did it look like they just left one day and never returned? It was one heck of a mystery that I could not stop thinking about.

The love interest, Flynn, doesn’t come into the book until halfway through. I really enjoyed how much this allowed me to get to know Leonie. I could relate to her so much and really felt all her emotions. I do feel like I didn’t know Flynn very well, and he’s almost more of a secondary character. It works, because the main focus of the book is the mystery, not the romance.

I loved all the side characters including the newspaper staff, the magazine staff, the family members and townsfolk. They were quirky and charming.

My only complaint was that this book wasn’t Scottish enough. It has “highlands” in the title, so I was expecting to really feel like I was there. But beside the town names, this book could have been set anywhere. I wanted more setting description. I wanted some “aye” and other Scottish slang.

Still, I found this book very entertaining. A great read.