This magical little book had me experiencing so many emotions, I didn't know whether I needed the tissue to dry tears, or water to hydrate from laughing. Seriously, this was such a cute book. Set in Scotland in a magical town, it was the perfect little holiday book.

With such a cute cover and being a Christmas romance read, I knew it would be a sweet, cute story. But this one was just too over the top for me. It was like a fever dream - stumbling into a disappearing Christmas Village where everyone walks in and finds insta-true love.

I liked the ways the MC was able to help the village. She had unique skills. The ending was satisfying but the whole in-between - their courting and meeting family and celebrations. Cute but just too much - too sweet, to cute. If you need a feel-good love story with a hot Scottish love interest, then this just might be for you. It just wasn't for me.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

straight up, this is insta-love which is admittedly not my jam, but this story just hit at the right time. i think the magical realism and all the talk of “feeling like i’ve been here before”, “i feel like i’ve known you for a lifetime already”, and kismet is what got me. is this the perfect book? no, but it hit me in all the feels. if you’re looking for a low drama, wintery escape into the scottish highlands with a heavy dose of romance, this may be for you! can definitely be read in one sitting!

thanks to montlake for an advanced copy. my thoughts are my own.

Such a lovely Christmassy Novella with a little bit of magical time travel, what's not to love?

Another great read from Sariah Wilson!

I'm a fan of Sariah Wilson and was super excited to read this one. However, I had no idea that it was a novella so the story felt a bit rushed and the insta-love threw me off a bit. I also was unprepared for the time travel element. Sometimes I love this in books and sometimes it's just ok for me. This one I didn't love quite so much. However, when I got past the insta-love & the magic, I really did enjoy the romance.

3.5 stars

First of all I would like to thank the publishers for such a cosy read .

We all know I love a romcom read and even better a winter read cosy up candles on hot chocolate perfect , I loved the vibes to the story based in Scotland snow , time travel little bit of outlander perfect for me as Im huge fan of the show. I read this book pretty quick being a novella perfect .

I thought it was so magical and I loved all the twists in the book was so much fun .

The main charaters I thought was wonderful the two love interests
Moren and Duncan I thought was brilliant the chemistry was perfect ,I loved the quirkiness to them both .


Sarah writing is just so perfect it flowed so well she never left you feeling bored she kept you guessing which I very much enjoyed .

So if your a big romcom fan who loves time travel romance this is for you .

I'm giving this book a very cosy 5 stars ⭐

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The parallels between this book and Outlander-esque tropes made it a fun read, because I love a good Scottish Highland themed back-in-time romance.

Maren, the main character of the story travels to Scotland with her friend Penny, fulfilling her dying mother’s wish that she journey to the country even though her mother can’t make the trip with her. While stranded in a snowstorm, they find they’ve actually fallen back in time to the seventeenth century. Maren swiftly falls for their rescuer in this cozy, closed-door, winter-y romance.

I enjoyed the simple plot of the story and it was a cozy way to pull myself out of a book hangover. I am not typically a fan of love-at first site, it often feels rushed and silly to me, but obviously with a novella you only have so many pages to work with. Also, I could have done with more spice, but that’s just my preference. I definitely recommend for anyone looking for a quick, low-stakes read.

Almost Like Being in Love is the newest Sariah Wilson romance novel. I will admit this is not my favorite book she has written but it is a good, quick romance read that is a perfect palette cleanser from those deep, tormented romances.
The book is predictable but in a good way that you know will give you a happy ending. You do really feel the struggle of the main character and the chose she has between her true love and her mother. The relationship between the main character and her best friend was very relatable and how the book ended with their relationship was absolute perfection.
The storyline is romance with some fantasy, so if you are not into that, this is not the book for you. However, if what you are looking for is a cute, romantic novel with some time traveling sprinkled in there, this is the perfect book for you!

3.5 rounded up. A cute holiday novella, but it felt like there was too much being shoved into a short book.

You can expect: time travel, Outlander vibes, Christmas celebrations, Scotland, 17th century Scottish MMC, 21st century FMC, veterinarian FMC, insta love, closed door.

Oh, I liked this one. Yes, I am truly into my Christmas reading, and this one grabbed my attention. It helps it was a novella, so fairly short, and one that felt a bit different to some of the other Christmas books I have lined up for this year. Maren Kelly heads to Scotland from Ohio, looking for her uncle who disappeared in the area. But what she and her friend Penny don’t expect to find is a castle, a Scottish chief, and a place trapped in 1647.

There were some really minor things I wasn’t fussed on – it’s almost to be expected in such a short novella, but the way Maren and Duncan fall in love feels super quick, even within the constraints of this format. Once Maren and her friend stumble on Highglen, and Maren has a better idea of when they are, she reflects on the fact her uncle disappeared searching for “a village stuck in time”. Yet it never crosses her mind that could be Highglen? And Penny, Maren’s best friend, felt a bit pointless at times – a bit too one-dimensional, really.

But, in general – I flew through this not because of the length, but because I was really enjoying it! It’s a book that’s completely easy to get lost in, and just enjoy spending some time in a strange Scottish castle that’s trapped in time, while the rest of the world moves ahead. It’s a cute book that does exactly what it sets out to do, warm your heart on a cold, winter’s night.

Thank you to Montlake for providing me a copy of this book via NetGalley – views remain my own!

So….I haven’t read or watched Highlander 🙈 ….but this book seriously makes me reconsider!!

I loved this swoony, cozy, and festive 'time traveling' story! It has a creative and different take on time travel (but I don't want to reveal too much). 

The story is filled with sweet family bonds and friendship, festive and old traditions, and sweet romance. I loved the descriptive scenes of the village and the family, I could definitely imagine how it all looked. 

The MCs are really adorable together! Although it's absolutely insta love, I do think it was done really well! Duncan is wonderful book boyfriend material; he is kind to his clan, a caring big brother, and head over heels for Maren. He's romantic and chivalrous. And he is not too shy to say and show how he feels.

Some words are written in the Scottish language, I needed to get used to it a little bit, but it made it more authentic and also created cute moments.

It is absolutely an adorable comfort read! It's not only fluffy, there are also some emotional moments that add depth to the story. I really loved it!

4.5/5 stars

This is a holiday novella full of romance and magical realism based on the musical Brigadoon.

This was such a cute read! Maren and her best friend are visiting Scotland. They end up in a snowstorm. And are rescued by a Scotsman (Duncan) from a different time.

I loved Duncan's family and village so much! This was such a quick fun read.

This book is mostly a feel good story. However there is a situation with Maren's mom at home that completely broke my heart. That made this a bit of an emotional read. But overall this novella really got me in the holiday mood!

I was excited to read Almost Like Being in Love. This book appealed to me for many reasons. I love a good Christmas Romance, I've always loved the movie Brigadoon, and I love any book or movie that has to do with Time Travel.

Maren and her friend Penny get lost in the Scottish Highlands in a bad winter storm. What happens next is absolutely magical. It's at this point in the story that you need to enjoy the story for what it is. They are found by the Campbell family who take them to their castle, Highglen. Soon Maren finds out that this village and its people are from the 17th century. She also finds out she is instantly attracted to Duncan Campbell and he to her. The problem is, that the village only appears in certain years. If Maren decides to leave, she may never get back to Duncan because they never know when people from the outside will be able to find the village.

This novella is full of sweet romance, has magic, and Insta-Love. Maren and Duncan feel as if they have found their soulmates. Since this is a novella which is shorter than a regular novel, things do happen more quickly romance-wise. I do love both Maren and Duncan and the Campbell family. Readers are swept up in the magic of 17th Century Scotland and its people just as Maren does in the book.

This fun little novella will make you smile, maybe cry a few tears, and help you believe in true love. If you want a short story that will sweep you away for an afternoon, Almost Like Being in Love is waiting to take you on a magical adventure into the Scottish Highlands.

This was my first read by this author, and as much as I enjoyed Sariah's writing style, this story was not for me. The writing in general was great, and it was really easy to read - not only because it was a novella, but because I appreciate how Sariah's writing creates a vivid picture in my head as I read.

This story is perfect for readers who love elements of time travel and also Scotland! While the concept was interesting, I learned that some of these tropes and story elements are not my favourite. Overall, it's a cute, lighthearted story set during the holiday season, great for a short Christmas read if that's what you need.

This was a fantastical story about believing in the magic of Christmas and the power of true love.

Maren and Duncan fell in love with each other at first sight, but the clock was ticking, so they made the most of their time together. Duncan was so effusive when it came to her, expressing himself in a way that left me swooning 😍 Him being a handsome Scot definitely helped 🤭

I loved the mix of old and new, seeing how the people navigated the 16th century whilst also not being confused by the wonders of the modern world.

And the traditions! There were quite a number but oh so interesting to learn about. This was definitely a refreshing view of Christmas and how it's celebrated by a different culture.

Finally, what was definitely the main point was how abundantly the people loved each other and embraced the magic of true love. So good!

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about Maren travelling with her friend Penny to try and find her lost uncle, the got stranded in a snowstorm and transported back in time. There she meets Duncan who she instantly fall in love with. The only problem is that she only able to stay there for a week or forever, Maren is forced to choose between love or going back home to say goodbye to her dying mother.

This is such a well written romance. This is a heartbreaking beautiful story. It has a fast pace to it. I love the storyline, I would of preferred for this to be a full length novel instead of a novella.

Loved the relationship between Duncan and Maren, they say they sweet talked to each other was so lovely and cute.

Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me this arc for an honest review.

This was such a sweet, fun, christmassy read! It was very magical and fanciful and something about the Scottish culture always feels like a perfect Christmas setting. This was certainly the best way to get into the Christmas reading season, and was a perfect holiday season read! If you are looking to get a couple more books in this year, this was a great, quick read!

FYI-- This was a closed door romance, which I love!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for this advanced copy.

This is a holiday love story with a Brigadoon-esque plotline. I don't particularly care for the "love at first sight" trope, so this was not a great read for me. I love magical realism elements in storytelling so I'm willing to suspend some disbelief, but this love story was just far too cheesy and unbelievable. The characters know literally nothing about each other and have nothing in common, yet they are instantly "in love" and willing to give up their entire lives to be together. If you are a fan of that trope, you will probably enjoy this quick read, but it was not for me.

Thanks to Montlake for the ARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I have been meaning to read this author and jumped at the chance to review an early copy of this novella. I hope readers will connect with this book more than I did! I definitely should have read the description a bit more before going for it…
This is an insta-love romance between a modern female and a Scottish lord from the seventeenth century. I’m not a fan of insta-love, nor am I a fan of historical romance. I’m usually ok with some time travel but not going back centuries. It’s a quick read, and if you’re into these things, I bet you’d like it! I plan to read more from the author, but this wasn't the right book for my interests, sadly.

Sariah Wilson can be a hit or miss author for me, and this one unfortunately wasn’t one of my favorites. I did love the idea of this book, a Christmas time travel romance. But I am not a fan of the insta love romance trope, I think that was the problem for me. This novella is a super quick and holiday read, and I know others loved it, so I do recommend checking their thoughts on it too!