This is all the fun tropes. MC loses her friend. Friend posthumously sets MC up to go on a trip with friends mysterious and hot brother. Both MC and Mysterious brother have to find peace with friend's passing while going through their own trials. In this case, taking a Jacobean trip to work as if they're on the set of Outlander.
It was consistently funny and good natured. It was an enjoyable read.

#arc
#netgalley
#scotlander

This was just okay for me. The romance didn’t really work. Willa was all over the place. Things seemed to move too fast for comfort. The ending was a bit of a letdown as well.

This is a lighthearted romcom, set mainly in beautiful Scotland which puts together a variety of people who are all in some way, looking for a way out of their current state. Sent on a working holiday with a group of Outlander superfans, Willa is desperately hoping that she can make sense of why her friend, has sent her on it in the first place. She is still grieving for her friend's loss. As the story develops, you realise that her dream job in LA may not be as satisfying as she has hoped. Still, she is dogged and determined to sort out people's messes and to make a secure future for herself. She may have rebelled against her off the beaten track childhood, but she does appreciate family and friendship - things she may have missed in LA.

Of course, the set up in the Highlands is not all it seems. What is clear to absolutely everyone is the chemistry between Willa and Finn. Finn has his own issues from his childhood and the dynamic between him and his family is complicated. However, he is loyal and caring. despite the guilt he feels that he may have let them down.There is plenty of humour within the story and a touch of romance which both add up to a enjoyable weekend read.


In short: LA meets Scotland

Willa ends up in Scotland with the brother of her late best friend. She is not sure why she has ended up there or what her friend was trying to achieve. Soon she is settled in and making friends, but what will happen when it is time to return to real life?

First of all, I’ve been an Outlander superfan since I read Diana Gabaldon’s first book in the series 30+ years ago.

And so, when I saw Sheila McClure’s Scotlander was based loosely on one of my favorite books of all time, well, I had to give it a go. In fact, I would book an Outlander immersive Scottish experience in a minute because I also fell in love with Scotland. Ms. McClure only confirmed my need to see the beautiful countryside with its moving history and hardworking people.

I also had a bout with cancer last year and understand Willa’s best friend, Valentina’s need to make sure her loved ones find love and happiness. With that notion, Willa meets Val’s estranged brother, Gabe just before they board a plane to Scotland to embark on a crazy “Authentic Fully Immersive Jacobite Outlander Experience”. What Willa and Gabe didn’t know was Val’s reason for the trip together until Gabe meets an old flame and Willa finds serenity in the land, attraction to a gorgeous Scot name Finn, and a purpose to truly help good people in need. But Willa’s time there has an end date and finding herself is harder than she thought.

Willa is a big-time entertainment news producer who hob knobs with celebrities in L.A., but after the loss of her only friend, she’s lonely, an outlander in a foreign land, and questioning her life. She’s scared of what she’s feeling about a McYummy lonely man who has baggage of his own, who rocks a kilt, and who makes her heart beat faster. Though Finn and Willa get off to a hilariously bumpy start (think unruly boobs!), their stories and real personalities are slowly revealed and they grow individually as well as a team. Finn’s guilt for leaving his family due to resentment and loss is heartbreaking, but with Willa’s insight and good advice, fences are mended. I also loved how Willa didn’t hesitate to step up and unveil her savvy promotion skills to help Finn and his family save their castle and their farm. Both have some issues with expressing their feelings which leads to separation, but Finn’s grand gesture is fun ending in a happily-ever-after ending.

This is an entertaining, original read which is heartfelt, funny, and packed full of regret, angst, and slow-burn chemistry. I’m so glad I picked it up.

Thank you to Ms. McClure for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

Willa's best friend, Val, has sadly passed away from cancer. She leaves Willa a 2 week Outlander-themed experience in Scotland..but why has she done it, and will it help Willa find herself again?

Let's start by saying that this is a fun romcom with a slow burn romance.

I enjoyed:

- Willa's growth through the book
- Gabe (Vals long lost brother) and his romance
- The grumpy but loveable Finn and his determination to save the farm
- The Scottish Outlander settings
- All the other fun characters who also went on the experience.

For me personally I do like a little more spice in my romcoms and I felt like I wanted a little more chemistry between Willa and Finn.

If you enjoyed books like The Highland Fling, and you like Outlander, I'd recommend picking this up!

Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this arc in return of an honest review.

Scotlander was a fun, adventurous and cute romcom.

Willa looses her best friend Valentina to cancer and she has been really struggling with such a huge loss, plus has been super stressed at work. When Willa gets called in to read Valentina's will she realizes that Valentina's super hot brother Gabe is there and Valentina's last wish is that they both go on a trip to Scotland to complete an Outlander experience.

While they are in Scotland they get immersed in the experience and both are assigned to partners, Willa gets paired up with Finn- a very sexy local - and they put them right to work. During all of this work, Willa comes to find out that Finn's family is actually struggling and they might lose everything if they can't make this Outlander style experience a success.


The backstory of how they got to Scotland was really well done, and the character development throughout for all characters was incredible. The banter between Willa and the memory of her best friend Valentina and how she assumed she would react to everything she was doing was funny and so relatable. While reading the book, I felt as if I was part of their friendship and I loved all the little moments/details the author described regarding their friendship.

I really enjoyed the book, but I did wish it had a bit more spice and that the ending wasn't so rushed. I feel like an epilogue would have been great to show what was happening 6 months or a year later. Overall, it was a great book and I recommend it especially if you are looking for a fun, quick read with some romance and very little spice.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.


Thank you NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Lake Union Publishing for my e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Fantastic for Outlander fans like myself! This was a heartfelt and fun romance that sees Willa traveling to Scotland to fulfill her dead best friend's last wishes. Tasked with participating in an all-out authentic "Outlander" experience, Willa finds herself stuck doing actual farm work and getting paired up with a grumpy (but sexy) Finn who is trying to save his family's working farm. Great on audio and recommended if you enjoyed Ruby Spencer's Whisky year or Whisky business by Elliot Fletcher. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

PS the grand gesture at the end was EPIC! I loved it so much!!

I like to start by saying I visited Scotland last year and fell in love with it so deeply that I truly want to pack and move! so I was very excited to read a book happening in Scotland. Also, I have watched enough Outlanders to be intrigued to see what will happen to Willa.

But to be honest this book was 2.5 and I only changed the rating because of the ending, because Finn was sweet and it deserves to get 3 stars just for that! My main issue was that I didn't connect to any of the characters which is such a shame because there were a few different characters that would have been great to get to know better, but it was a missed opportunity. Also, Willa was not really a likable character, I was mostly rolling my eyes at her and her decisions and so it made it really hard to like and enjoy the rest of the book.

Overall, I'm glad I gave this book a chance because it reminded me of Scotland!

Fulfilling her best friend's wishes in her will is what will take Willa to Scotland and maybe lead her to a lot more.

In parts, I wanted to shout at the main characters to communicate and understand one another but understood this is the growth of the narrative, and added up to the epic ending which rounded off the narrative nicely and left me feeling very happy inside.

I also enjoyed the contrast the author gave us, showing us Willa's life in LA and what is happening while she is in Scotland, again this adds to the growth of the narrative.

My grandfather and stepfather were from Scotland. I have always wanted to go. Never been but will be going this summer. The title is similar to the television show OUTLANDER for a reason. Like Willa, I never seen more than one or two episodes of it. I knew the premise but not much more.

Willa's best friend recently died. She gave Willa a ticket for Scotland for a week. Willa was in for an Scotlander adventure. She had no idea what she was in for.

Finn sounds just what you envision a man in kilts from Scotland to be. Strong. Muscular. A hunk. How could Willa resist this man even if he was just her "fake" husband?

A cute story of finding our destiny. Where do we belong? What's holding us back? I wanted Willa to allow herself to be vulnerable. I routed for her.

I received this book from Boldwood Books to review.

I wanted to like this because the concept seems so interesting. But from the very beginning I hated it. The writing felt very under developed. The characters are annoying and have no distinct personalities.

I DNF’ed at 41 pages because I couldn’t read any more

I admit I was drawn to this as a fan of anything that is set in Scotland, mentions Scotland and also a fan of Outlander the fact that I love Sheila McClure’s writing was an added bonus. I thought this was so original, a great twist on a beloved series of books/tv, but focusing more on its fans than the series itself , the focus on the love they put into the characters and stories was really well done, it did feel like a love letter to fans (of books, romance not just outlander) any teasing was always respectful and you can see the love for fans in the banter.

It’s a fast-paced and heartfelt read, I always love a story that focuses on a community that comes together, the relationship between Finn and Willa was perfect, I loved their connection and the tension, just brilliant (chefs kiss) I thought all of the character’s realistic and relatable. It's really is an addictive and funny story, full of heart. I thought Sheila did a fantastic job too covering issues of
grieving and healing with sensitivity and such care, along with finding yourself, accepting yourself and love.

This was a story I not only enjoyed, but made me feel seen as a fan of something, wether that be books, a TV show or something else, the humour is wonderful and respectful, always well meant, but as a fan everyone of us has foibles, obsessions and idiosyncrasies, I love that this recognised that and created this wonderfully unique story.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I would firstly just like to say a big thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources who very kindly forwarded me an arc copy of this book, for my kindle, in return for my honest review.

I loved the sound of this book just from the title and then i had a read of the blurb and was totally hooked!

Scotland em was such an easy book to read and before i knew it i was speeding my way through it, turning the pages faster and faster so that i could hurry up and find out what was going on!!

This book was a wonderful, comforting read and with a lovely sprinkling of romance too, it was well worth a read.

All the characters were ‘real’ and believable and i really enjoyed getting to know them all. From Willa to Gabe to the wonderfully swoony hot Scot, Finn, they all added that little bit more to the story…….

I read Sheila McClure’s previous release, The Breakup Agency, and I really enjoyed it (yes, I know she’s published under other names but I haven’t read those books yet). This is another great release from her!

The storyline focuses very much on a theme of the book & movie series Outlander, which I have not read a single word of nor watched a single episode of. I have zero intention of ever doing so. I was still able to enjoy the book. I’m sure if the thought of Outlander was at all interesting to me, I would have enjoyed this a lot more - but I did really enjoy it as it stands, because I enjoy McClure’s writing so much. She’s a fantastic author and I wish more of the romance Bookstagram community knew about and promoted her!

The idea of a failing farm and castle in Scotland bringing in guests to live an Outlander and Jacobean experience to raise funds to keep running, including a hand-fasting wedding ceremony, all the farm chores, and building upkeep was brilliant … what they hadn’t planned for was the reporter who was one of the guests figuring everything out, falling for one of the staff, and finding the best plan ever to save the place. Also, some great “real” celebrity cameos happening (although… you know Mike Meyers is Canadian, not Scottish, right?! He just played a Scot in Austin Powers!)!

I definitely recommend this one - Outlander fan, or not (like me). Still very enjoyable without the background. Heck, even some of the characters didn’t know the show!

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK (Lake Union Publishing), and this is my honest feedback.

Willa is forced out of her comfort zone by her best friend Valentina's dying wish that she go on an immersive Outlander themed holiday. It's all the more impressive because Willa's comfort zone is working in Hollywood interviewing celebrities!

Finn's family farm is in trouble. He's reluctantly helping his step-sister with her mad scheme of holding Outlander themed holidays.

I don't watch Outlander, but I've got the gist of it that it's about a time travelling bigamist nurse and there's a lot of Scots involved.

This book was tremendous fun. Sort of like Outlander meets Austenland. At it's heart it's a story about what family means to different people and how you can find your family in places you'd never expect. I really enjoyed this book.
It also made me yearn for porridge.

3⭐
Genre ~ women's fiction
Publication date ~ June 21, 2023
Page Count ~ 365
Audio length ~ 10 hours 48 minutes
Narrators ~ Amanda Ronconi, John Lane
POV ~ dual 3rd
Featuring ~ off screen loss of friend from cancer, long chapters, celebrity name drop, slow burn, insta~loveish, no steamage

Valentina leaves a 2 week Outlander experience in Scotland to her bff, Willa, and brother, Gabe in her will. They won't find love with each other, but a lifelong friendship bond.

Most likable points for me:
~ why Val sent these two strangers to Scotland together
~ Willa and Finn's meet cute at the airport
~ all of the people on the immersion trip were fun in their own way
~ how so many people came together to help save the far-um
~ I did appreciate the author's note stating this was semi autobiographical. Since her husband is Scottish I felt she had a good knowledge of the way of the land.

For most of the book Willa was not very likable. If you didn't know she worked in the Hollywood scene you'd know it based on all the celebrity name drops ~ from Ben to Matt to The Rock. She was downright mean at times and I never really warmed up to her.

Finn was adorable and I wish he had more chapters. He was more likable with his sad story and perhaps the book wouldn't have felt so long if we heard more from him. I wouldn't have minded being able to see him chop firewood in his kilt either.

Overall, I never really felt a connection or chemistry between them and don't understand how they fell for each other so quickly. There wasn't an abundance of interaction between them and she seemed to get sidetracked a lot by her phone buzzing in her bosom because her job was everything to her. No communication 3rd act break up was exactly what I expected based on how Willa was acting. I liked the last chapter well enough, but could have went for a little more guest interaction since they were a big part of the whole Scotland experience.

Side note ~ I know Valentina's death was the whole reason for this plot, but I wish we had met her when she was alive. She seemed like she'd be a delight to have around.

What a fun read! Outlander is still on my to read list but I love the premise so I needed to read this. I was relieved Willa was an Outlander novice like myself..

It took a while to get into the story, but Willa and the hunky Gabe arrived in Scotland and the LA setting faded into the background, I was immersed into the Highland environment, the antics of the superfans, and Willa’s predicament of a fake wedding to Finn.

The idea of having an arranged spouse for a holiday was both horrifying and inspired. It made for entertaining reading, and love and misunderstandings to flourish. Finn was fabulous book boyfriend material from the start, but more so as the novel progressed. Once Willa is in Scotland her true character and backstory comes through and I became invested in her happy ever after.

Balcraigie Castle was a beautiful setting and worthy of being the centre point of a novel. It was easy to visualise the fans of the show working the land as the Outlanders characters would have done made hard working seem appealing. Forget the Mediterranean, I want a true Scotlander experience lured in by the scenery and the supporting characters of this novel. They each have their own distinct personalities, especially Orla.

With good chemistry between Finn and Willa, a wonderful supporting cast and a stunning location this feel good romance makes ideal summer reading, and a refreshing read from the typical more exotic locations.

The big C takes Willa Jenkins friend way too soon but Valentina leaves a surprise for Willa in the form of a Outlander tour and a fake husband. The plot of this one instantly had me intrigued but it started out really slow paced and I was unsure of whether I would continue but I persisted and I'm so glad I did. The second half of the book definitely picked up and I loved everything about it from the enemies to lover's. The sense of comrades had me feeling every single emotion. The characters are so funky and fun they made me smile so much that my cheeks are sore. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

🏰Not what I was expecting🤔

3.5🌟 stars
I am a bit conflicted about this novel. For me, this story dragged on for the first half and the romance was husbanded away until the end (when, yes, I did find it super fun and romantic). I did not particularly like the parts that involved Willa's Hollywood job and the celebrities she knows. Willa and Finlay, her own "Jamie" (a dour Scotsman with a shell of a castle and major financial problems), were a good pairing and I liked how Willa and the Outlander super fans adapted so quickly to the living accommodations and chores on their Outlander "immersion" holiday. That said, I guess I expected more of a feel for the Outlander series in the story that I just did not get.

Probably the best parts of the plot apart from the romance were the cloth dyeing scene, Finlay's awkward attempts to woo the locals, and the way they solved the castle estate's financial problems and made it a major, memorable event. Was it realistic? Not really, but I liked how it all came together, right down to the cameo singing appearance of a Scottish legend.

There were dark moments, mostly related to Willa's grief at the loss of her best friend Valentina, but overall the upshot was happiness and joy for all, with an overarching homily about living the moment and taking chances so you don't wonder what you let pass you by.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK/Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.