Merry is heartbroken after the death of her father, the man who raised her single handedly. She needs to escape the confines of her over protective brothers. When her Aunt asks her to house sit over Christmas she jumps at the chance.

When she arrives she realises she has been entrusted not only with the Aunt's menagerie of pets, but also with the village secret Santa gifts.

Everything goes wrong from the start, but with the help of handsome Theo, Merry is drawn out of her shell and into the virbrant welcoming village.

This is a gorgeous holiday read.

This was a wonderful Christmas story. I loved every minute of it and read it all in one sitting. It's a fantastic story line a damsel in distress having to look after her auntie animals. Then all comes a Knight in shining armour in the shape of a handsome vet. It's a wonderful although some what predictable as most romance novels are. It was the development of this story that was so heartwarming and loveable. It felt like a nice warm hug book. I love how the author writes her stories creating characters that you will adore, beautiful setting a brilliant sense of community and it always feels so realistic. I really wish these books were films. I loved how they had to work out who the Christmas presents were for and how these lead to little stories themselves. Meaning we get to know some amazing characters. The romance was just one of those that you wish you had. Slow in development but so amazing when it happens. You might notice it sounds like a 5 star review and it would of been if it didn't feel similar to another of the authors Christmas novels but it was still so nice a story and well wrote its 4 star rating. I really do recommend reading this book as it will really get you in the mood for Christmas and it will make you feel so good.


So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating this wonderful story so full of Christmas magic. I will definitely be looking out for more great titles by this fantastic author. 
The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog today https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/snowflakes-and-secrets-in-the-scottish-highlands-by-donna-ashcroft-bookouture-4-star either under my name or ladyreading365

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

What a lovely festive read this was and now I'd like to spend Christmas in Christmas village!

I just want to fall into this village and live forever. Every town has its secrets, but this village has lovely citizens, lots of pets, and charming men. This is definitely a holiday read for everyone to enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Snowflakes and Secrets in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft was such a fun, festive Christmas book. I'm such an animal lover, so this book was right up my alley. If you are an animal lover as well, then this is the perfect book for you. This book was so lovely, heart warming, funny, and delightful. I have never heard of this author before, but I saw a review on this book and knew I had to add it because it's a Christmas book and it has animals in it. I fell in love with the story, and with the characters, although I disagreed with some of them. Grab yourself a fuzzy/warm blanket, a cup of hot chocolate/tea/coffee, and a copy of this book because once you start you won't want to stop. It was so difficult for me to put this book down because it was such a fun story. After reading Snowflakes and Secrets in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft, I will most definitely go back and read her other Christmas books. The cover is absolutely beautiful and gave me all the Christmassy vibes. The only animal I didn't like was the turkey, it was nothing against the one in this book, but they just freak me out.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND BOOKOUTURE FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!

Twenty five year old, Merry McKenzie is escaping to Chestnut Cottage in the Scottish Highlands to mourn and mend her broken heart after the death of her father. Merry lost her father to pneumonia, and lost her mother at a very young age. Merry's father raised her single-handedly, but told her three brothers if anything happened to him to look out for Merry. Merry agrees to come to Chestnut Cottage to take care of her aunt Ava's animals while she's away on her journey. Merry wants to write and publish a book, but gets some very hateful comments after submitting a sneak peak. Merry gets in a car accident and was in a coma for three months, where her three brothers always watched over her. Merry's brothers don't think she should be taking this trip alone, but Merry just wants to get away and be independent. Merry thinks spending time with her aunt's animals is going to be a peaceful time.

When Merry arrives, she discovers her aunt left her a list of instructions, how to take care of the animals and instructions on how to organize the Secret Santa that has been in Merry's family for such a long time. Merry is determined to tackle her aunt's festive tasks, but her first night there everything goes completely downhill, aunt Ava's rabbit eats the list of people who deserve to get a gift from the Secret Santa. Merry meets the new vet, Theo Ellis Lee after the incident with the rabbit. Theo moved to the Scottish Highlands from London to heal from a bruised ego and a broken heart. Merry is completely out of her comfort zone when her list gets eaten, but it doesn't help that Theo is infuriatingly cheerful and absolutely attractive. Theo starts coming by everyday to check on the unruly animals, and Merry can't deny that Theo sets her pulse racing.

I absolutely loved Theo and Merry, I enjoyed watching their friendship/relationship bloom. In fact, I loved the whole town of Christmas Village, I adored how all the people in the village welcomed Merry with open arms, fresh baked foods, and laughter filled nights. I never wanted this book to end. Merry and Theo were such an endearing couple who must work through some obstacles before they could be together, but I just loved watching it all unfold right in front of me. I now want to visit the Scottish Highlands and meet all these fun, loving, warm hearted people. From start to finish, this book left a smile on my face. As much as I wanted to cry when Merry was telling the story of her father, I actually didn't cry (surprising). Snowflakes and Secrets in the Scottish Highlands would make for one of the best Hallmark movies. The festive cover just invites you to a winter wonderland.

Good read. Great characters, enjoyed the setting, lots of side stories weaved into it and it flowed really well. A good read for a rubbish day. Will make you feel better!

This is such a lovely, warm festive read. I loved Merry and Theo, the setting of Christmas Village and all the characters and animals there. Snuggle down with a hot chocolate and immerse yourself in this gorgeous read.

Merry is in her early thirties and has survived heartbreak. She has promised herself that she will never allow her heart to be broken again. Merry’s Aunt Ava, asks her to house sit Chestnut Cottage and tend to a myriad of animals. She jumps at the chance to get away and escape and possibly a new beginning. Her expectations are high, and the first night at the cottage, nothing goes as planned. The electricity isn’t working and the animals are in an uproar. Merry has to call the local vet, Theo to help her calm down an over excited turkey. Merry is well out of her comfort zone, with the cottage and the animals and the town vet. Theo stops by every day to check on the animals, and as the Christmas season approaches, Merry finds herself letting her guarded heart begin to melt. But will Theo break her heart or make her want to never leave Chestnut Cottage?

I was so happy to be returning to the beautiful Scottish Highlands and absolutely loved this story. This warm and toasty read was so enjoyable that it made me want to curl up with a blanket and pour a hot cup of cocoa. The vivid description of the Christmas Village was so heart-warming. I found the animals to be such a lovely part of the storyline. Merry and Theo were relatable characters and Theo’s sense of humor had me laughing out loud. This warm and cozy read was exactly what I needed. This book hits all the feels and I loved everything about this story. I highly recommend it.

Thank you Donna Ashcroft for such a wonderful return to the Scottish Highlands. This is an amazing conclusion to the Christmas Village Series. Loved it!

A real feel good Christmas story, this book will get you in the right frame of mind for the holidays. I think this is the second book in what looks like could be a series about Christmas Village in the Scottish Highlands. Merry comes to animal sit for her Aunt who has gone on a month long trip, leaving her animals to be cared for by Merry. When she arrives, Merry is not very confident about the direction of her life. But with the help of the local vet, Theo, and a secret Santa left for her to figure out, there was lots to like about this easy going book. If small town romance is your genre, this is a good book for you

Merry McKenzie finds herself busier than she expected to be while vacationing in the Scottish Highlands. She is at her Aunt Ava's cottage and working through the grief of losing her father, Healing comes along with a bit of a different agenda than she imagined. She discovers instructions written in her aunt's hand that require Merry to become the organizer of the annual Secret Santa drive. A previous accident, one that left her in a coma, had left her life in turmoil.

With a bevy of animals, incoming gifts to be distributed, and a long list of instructions, Merry is about to be very busy. However, most of the destructions were destroyed by Chewy the rabbit, Merry knew that starting over would be full of challenges, and things just got much more difficult. Fortunately, she finds that she just might accept local vet Theo's help. It doesn't hurt that he is easy on the eyes and that the two seem to have a connection from the very stat.

As if she doesn't have enough to do during the season she accepts the challenge of teaching a writing class to children as they write their Christmas stories. Especially due to her previous accident, Merry always felt she had been in a position to be saved. Now that she is in Christmas Village, she intends on taking control of her life, no matter how tempting it is to want to trust Theo to help her out with the presents.

What a lovely story by Donna Ashcroft. Merry is a delightful character, the Secret Santa drive is so touching, and the relationship she forms with Theo is so very sweet. Oh, all of the animals were a treat as well!

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please also enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/axSEwM9WRp8

This shouldn’t work, but it oh-so does! It’s cuteness overload and as much Christmas kitsch as you can ever imagine. Everything, literally everything, is Christmas, from the name of our protagonist to the village she’s residing in. Even the pub is called The Christmas Pud Inn!

Merry (yep - that really is her name) is looking after her aunt’s cottage in the Scottish Highlands and the menagerie that comes along with it. She wants to turn her life around and become a new and confident Merry and where better to do that than somewhere where no one knows her past. Coincidentally, Theo is the new vet in town and he is also running away from his past and then he runs into Merry…

I really enjoyed reading Snowflakes and Secrets in the Scottish Highlands and yes, I want to live there, be part of the secret Santa that and drink pumpkin and gingerbread lattes with Merry.

If you don’t like Christmas then you probably won’t like this very Christmassy story but I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend you read it, curled up with a coffee or a mulled wine, sitting in front of the fire whilst the snow is falling outside.

I am lucky enough to be a part of Books on Tour for this book, so thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Snowflakes and Secrets in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft.

Loved it! I'm a huge fan of Donna Ashcroft and have read just about everything she's written, but her Scottish Highlands books might be my favorites. I just love all the unique characters of Christmas Village and it was so great to revisit them here and to meet a few newcomers! I also always love how she incorporates a few animal characters into her stories - and there were plenty of those with big personalities here! The descriptions of scenery and even the insides of the cottage and shops is perfect - I feel like I've actually been to Christmas Village. I really can't recommend this or any of Donna's books enough if you're a fan of cozy romcoms. She's one of my faves and I hope you'll give this a read. Although I've received advanced NetGalley copies of her last few books, I've always ordered a physical copy as soon as they've released to add to my collection as I know I'll return to them again in the future! You won't be disappointed!

Release date: September 27, 2022

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of Snowflakes and Secrets in the Scottish Highlands ebook from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Nothing is better than reading a cozy holiday romance that gives you all the feels! I was really looking forward to this book and have been a little disappointed in my last couple of arc romances. Fortunately, this one checked all the boxes and I really enjoyed it!

Merry was involved in a serious car accident two years ago that left her in a coma for a couple of months and her three older brother as overprotective as ever. Seeking some independence and a little breathing room, Merry takes her eccentric aunt up on the offer to house sit for her over the holidays.

When Merry arrives at her aunts house she discovers her menagerie of animals that need minding and a secret Santa responsibility that Merry’s aunt has left her while she’s away. Is Merry up to the responsibility she so desperately craved? And what about Theo, the new vet in town that catches Merry’s eye? Is he overprotective like her brother’s? Or just the partner she needs to balance out her life?

This is a feel good holiday romance perfect for the upcoming chilly season. This is a solid four stars and I highly recommend you add it to your winter tbr!

#NetGalley #snowflakesandsecretsinthescottishhighlands
#donnaashcroft

Snowflakes and Secrets in the Scottish Highlands is a sweet heartwarming story of recovery, branching out to new experiences, and finding love when you are least expecting it. By Donna Ashcroft it brings the snowy holiday season to the forefront. I felt the cold the descriptions were so outstanding, enjoying the snowy surroundings, and loved the village too.

Merry McKenzie feels out of her depth caring for her Aunt Ava’s cottage along with the unusual menagerie of pets that her aunt has acquired. With the help of the local vet Theo Ellis-Lee life becomes more manageable with the animals. Those animals have so much personality that they are characters in their own right as much as the village residents. This brings to mind “The Secret Santa Mission.” What a wonderful way for Merry to begin to spread her wings.

Snowflakes and Secrets in the Scottish Highlands is a bright look at renewing life, friendships, love, and family. A great uplifting read.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have followed and read Donna's books from her debut novel, and they each one is better than the last. This one is no exception.

Really enjoyed the second book in this series, although I read them the wrong way around I still could follow the story perfectly fine. Wasn’t the usual Christmas story there seemed to be that little bit of extra Xmas magic

What could be better than spending time in Christmas Village during the Christmas season? Getaway from 3 overprotective brothers, helping her Aunt by taking care of her menagerie of pets while she is out of town and hopefully finish writing her novel But then Merry misses seeing her Aunt and is left with a folder of notes, about the care of her pets and a family secret unknown to Merry. Unfortunately Chewy the rabbit does earn its name, the notes are pretty much all shredded. Afraid the bunny may be sick after that, thankfully the vets phone number is on a posted note on the refrigerator so at least she can get help and information on the care of the animals. But how does Merry solve the mystery and still keep it a secret?
Theo to the rescue, he answers the call to help Merry with Chewy and offers to help and show her how to take care of the other animals, After a bad breakup Theo is determined not to fall again for a needy woman, but Merry is just as determined not to depend on anyone but herself.
A story of personal growth, learning to overcome fear after a terrible car accident, learning to allow people to spread their wings. The little touch of a cozy mystery is interwoven throughout and fun to guess who gets what. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #SnowflakesandSecretsintheScottishHighlands

Everything a good Christmas romance should be! After a car crash and ending up in a coma, Merry wakes up to find that her father has died. Feeling the need to escape her three very overprotective brothers, Merry heads to Scotland to house sit for her aunt and look after her animals. She also ends up playing Secret Santa and must end up guessing which present is for which person after the rabbit eats the list. Vet Theo is the love interest but doesn’t want a relationship with another “needy” woman.

I'm thoroughly getting into the Christmas spirit early this year with all this festive fiction I'm reading of late!

This was a delightful, feel-good Christmassy romance that I thoroughly enjoyed losing myself in.

Not only is it set in the picture perfect Scottish Highlands, the village is called Christmas Village...when can I move there?

Merry was recovering from an accident and her trip to Scotland to look after her aunts animals was also the opportunity for her to rediscover herself and let go of her past. The idea of a Secret Santa bringing her together with Theo was cute.

Highly enjoyable and definitely recommendable.

Many thanks to Bookouture for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was such a delightful, heartwarming, and lovely book! I fell in love with the characters and animals in this book. If you are looking for a book that warms your soul look no further! Grab some mulled wine, a cozy reading spot, this book and settle in for Christmas in the Highlands!


Merry agrees to come to Chestnut Cottage to care for her aunt Ava's many pets while her aunt is out of town. It sounds like the prefect getaway where she can mourn the death of her father and to prove to herself and her brothers that she can take care of herself (plus all the animals). Once at the cottage, she learns of a tradition that has been going on for a very long time. Merry will be taking part of in a secret Santa festival where deserving characters in this book get a gift.

Theo has recently moved to the village in the Highlands from London to heal from a bruised ego and broken heart. He is the town's veterinarian and comes to Merry's aid when she believes an animal in her care needs help.

Sparks fly and attraction blooms as Theo keeps coming up with ways to visit Merry to help with the animals. Merry keeps trying to prove she can make it on her own while feeling a mounting attraction to the handsome Veterinarian.

These two characters warmed my heart. They were both so likeable. Speaking of likeable, the entire village put a smile on my face. They did their best to include both Merry and Theo in village life and help them settle in. Plus, many of the characters needed a little help, nudge, advice as well.

This is a wonderful Christmas romance which was the perfect Secret Santa book for me. It hit all the bells and whistles - characters to root for, cute animals, a cantankerous turkey, lovely villagers, and romance. I did not want this book to end!

If you are looking for the perfect holiday read, look no further!

Delightful, heartwarming, and hard to put down!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.