Almost Like Being In Love was such an enjoyable read. It was unique, while hitting all of the tropes you would hope for in a Christmas story, happy, cozy, sweet, and full of holiday cheer.
Maren and her friend Penny stumble upon a unique village that is centuries behind their own time. It quickly becomes home for Maren when she forms an instant connection with Duncan. But her ties at home leave them with only a week together before the village disappears again with no knowing how long it will be until it’s back.
Their story is sweet, funny, and full of hope. I loved how Maren and Duncan’s characters fit so nicely together. It was so fun reading a story set in such a unique place and watching the differences between time periods. The characters within the village added such a homey feel to the story along with all the traditions that were shared that week.
This might just become a Christmas time reread for me this year and many more to come.

Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake and Sariah Wilson for an arc of Almost like Being in Love in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis quote & review below.

"Maren Kelly and her friend Penny may be lost in the Scottish Highlands, yes. They may be caught in the blizzard of the century, sure. But despite their dire straits, Maren is going to honor her ailing mother’s wish for them to experience all the magic, mystery, and whimsy Scotland has to offer, even if she freezes to death trying. When they’re rescued by the dashing Duncan Campbell, who seems like he walked straight out of the seventeenth century, Maren is more than a wee bit bewildered.

Their shelter is Duncan’s castle in Highglen, a captivating village that feels somehow familiar…as does the laird himself. Brimming with holiday cheer and friendly, boisterous family members, Highglen is a safe haven in the frigid winter storm. Maybe it’s the carolers and the warm hearth—or Duncan’s comforting brogue and stolen kisses—but Maren feels as though she’s come home. And in Duncan, she may have found her long-awaited soulmate.

But is this a miracle that could last a lifetime?"

I really enjoy most novels by Sariah Wilson and will ALWAYS read them. For me they are light, quick and feel-good stories that are perfect for when I need exactly that type of novel.

This was a perfect Christmas novella. I absolutely love stories that involve magic and fantasy, which this story definitely covered. I'm not really a believer in insta-love, but that is ok! This story was super charming and I love the Scots!

I would definitely recommend for anyone who would love a quick little story full of depth, emotion, charm and love!

Maren Kelly and her best friend are traveling through the Scottish highlands at Christmas time when they're trapped in a blizzard. Who saves them but a big beautiful burly highlander, from 400 years in the past! Duncan and Maren fall HARD for each other right away. We've got a soulmate situation going on! Duncan is the PERFECT cinnamon roll hero. He and Maren try their hardest to keep their all-consuming chemistry in check, but when they can't it's the perfect blend of spicy and sweet. She can't stay. He can't go. And at the end of the Christmas season, Duncan's village will disappear into the highland mists. Their fairy tale can't possibly have a happily ever after. Or can it?!?

This is basically a Christmas novella based on the 50s classic musical "Brigadoon," and I was here for it!! The title is taken from the song Gene Kelly sings in said musical, and plenty of Easter eggs are hidden throughout the story. I've read a lot of romance recently, but they've all missed the tender bone-deep sweetness that this story contains. This is a closed-door romance, but that's not to say that there wasn't the swoony, sweet scenes I didn't fall head-over-heels for! I fell deeply in love with Duncan. What a caring, honorable, patient, charismatic, gorgeous man! (I could go on, LOL.). I couldn't wait to read to the end and see how the story would resolve itself. So much fun!

I enjoyed this SOO much. I cried happy tears. I also cried sad tears. Maren's backstory is sad. (See trigger warnings at the end of this review for more.) Maren's situation does weave a bit of sadness into the story. Their impending separation also creates some angst, but, since we know this is a romance, it'll turn out well in the end! (Thank goodness for this genre.)

I'd like to thank Montlake and Netgalley for the e-ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Trigger warnings: terminal cancer, death of a parent

Maren and her best friend Penny are on a trip in Scotland when the entire occasion is derailed by a huge snowstorm. Maren's thoughts are full of her dying mother and how she is trying to squeeze every bit of joy and opportunity from this trip, when they end up stranded in the middle of the storm. Duncan Campbell stumbles across them straight out of the 17th century and Maren is naturally confused by all of this.

They end up finding refuge in Duncan's castle and Maren and Duncan grow closer, but there are responsibilities calling to Maren from her time and she wonders how this could love last.

This was an adorable novella, it is quick - paced and yes the characters fall instantly for each other. It makes sense because this is a time-travel novella! They have no time to waste, and honestly it suits the story. It's a great choice for a Christmas read, perfect for fans of novellas, insta-love and Scotland.

*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Sariah Wilson can be a hit or miss author for me but this latest holiday novella was a total win. Perfect for Outlander fans, this story features Maren, whose dying mother urges her to take a trip to Scotland that they had been planning to go on together.

Travelling with her cousin Penny, Maren finds herself stranded in a snowstorm and transported back in time to a castle stuck in 1647 where she meets Chief Duncan Campbell and falls instantly in love. Only able to stay for a week or forever, Maren is forced to choose between love or returning to her time and saying goodbye to her mother.

Heartbreakingly beautiful and super swoony, this novella packs a big punch and is full of all kinds of holiday feels. I couldn't read this fast enough and absolutely loved it! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Steam level: kissing only

Maren Kelly and her friend Penny get stranded in the Scottish highlands during a winter storm only to find themselves taking shelter in a gorgeous castle... in the seventeenth century. Their rescuer is the laird Duncan Campbell, who Maren feels an immediate familiarity with. But will their connection stand the test of time, or are they running out of time?

This story was a wild ride, and I enjoyed it. Yes, it is unrealistic and ridiculous, but it's done in a delightfully escapist kind of way. Most romance books are instalove, and this takes that to the extreme, which I found nearly more unrealistic than the time travel component. The Christmas setting added a really charming and cozy element to the novella. Cheesiness aside, this is a really quick, fun read that's perfect for the winter season.

Thank you to Montlake for gifting me with an ARC to review. All opinions are my own. I enjoyed it!

I only wish it was longer!

I enjoyed this story so much!! I have really liked the other Sariah Wilson novels I’ve read, but this one is just really special. I wasn’t too sure towards the beginning when it starts into a time travel plot, leaning towards Outlander (and the characters even make mention of that), but she just writes so darn well and the whole storyline and characters - it was so darn good - and for me to love a clean (kissing only) romance this much is really saying something!

It’s a novella so I can’t mention much more without spoilers, but I loved the historical context, the Scottish highlands setting, the bit of modern tech and knowledge that was involved with the time travel aspect, the mystery surrounding the town, and that it was a Christmas story, too. Every piece of it was just perfect. Highly recommend adding this one to your holiday TBR!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Montlake, and this is my honest feedback.

Prior to reading this book by Wilson, I had no preconceived expectations. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how cosy and heartwarming the story was. Although it was a bit predictable, it was still perfect to boost one's mood, especially given the short length. The time-travelling aspect was executed well, and the main characters were well-crafted.

Overall, it's a quick and enjoyable festive read, which serves as an excellent introduction to this author's work. I will certainly be on the lookout for more books by this author in the future!

Well, the book was good, but not for me. The first thing I didn't like was the insta love and all those cheesy lines. I was enjoying it until then. And how the two girls were so chill about the time travel? Specially the FMC. I mean they were literally at a place where they didn't know anyone. There was not even internet connection. It could be dangerous. It's ok to freak out a little!

Another thing, the author mentioned they stayed there for a week, in the present FMC's mother also said it was one week there too. Then how the second time it was one year in the present but 5 days in highland? It's confusing.

I feel the book needed more time and pages. It was too short for this kind of complex stories.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange of an honest review.

I usually love Wilson’s stories, but this one fell a little short for me. I liked the plot, however I found the romance in the book to be slightly creepy, not magical like the author intended.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Montlake. I'm voluntarily leaving a review without compensation.

Genre: Romance, Time Travel Romance, Scottish Romance
Spice Level: Sweet romance with kissing and longing for more
Tropes: Insta-love, cosmically separated lovers, fish out of water, soulmates

I've enjoyed many of Sariah Wilson's books, and this one is fun too.

Honestly, I didn't even read the blurb when requesting this ARC. So the cover's castle is a little misleading because it looks like a castle in Austria (at least to me). But there is a castle and all the expected people who go with it, but in Scotland.

I didn't know this was a time-traveling romance, and it is with a Brigadoon-like twist. Super fun! Insta-love isn't my usual cup of tea, but again, Wilson pulls this out of her magic hat, and it works for me. Partly, it works because her mom had a similar experience of falling in love in a moment, so it makes it more believable for Maren's world.

Maren is a fun woman to walk through the 1600s with because she loved the renaissance fairs back home—she sees all the positive things about this place and century. Her friend Penny is good for a week but anxious to get home. And Duncan is a lovely man with masculine strength and tenderness—a perfect book boyfriend. I loved the dilemma of why neither one could leave their century.

Yes! I recommend this book for a fun and light read. It's got a Christmas theme, but I think you can read it any time of the year.

Happy (swooning) reading!

🌬❄Lovely fantasy in the magic wilds of Scotland🏞🏰

A meeting of two times and love at first sight? It's not a unique concept but author Sariah Wilson really took the idea and made it sing. I loved her writing style for this sweet romance set in Scotland between modern Maren, an American woman vet-in-training, and Duncan, a 17th century Scottish chief, brought together by a winter storm. There's a persistent cloud hanging over the couple to make their time together quite poignant, especially as Hogmanay (Scottish New Years) approaches. I found Duncan a really appealing hero; he's devoted to the community he leads and knows how to woo Maren with his sincere silver tongue and honeyed words.

In addition to the main romantic plot, the story weaves in lots of information about traditional winter festivities as the castle prepares to feast, dance, wassail and just kick up their heels to drive out the dark winter. And the ending gave me a nice surprise related to heroine Maren's best friend Penny and the passage of time.

I enjoyed it cover to cover.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

3.5 stars

This was such a great read to start the holiday season 👏
I love the magical setting and moments and the romance, albeit instalove-y tho not really 😉 , it was throughly enjoyable.
I like that the magical village and the side characters were amazing too.
The story was sweet and charming with some emotional moments too.
Overall this was a very lovely story, perfect for the holiday season.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read several of Sariah Wilson's books, but wow! I really enjoyed this one. The characters were relatable and engaging. The storyline was fun. I could not stop reading once I started. Maren and her friend Penny are in Scotland on vacation. While they are there, they are going to see if they can find out what happened to Maren's uncle that disappeared there. They are caught in a blizzard and rescued by Duncan. He takes them to his castle in Highglen to wait out the storm. Maren and Penny are confused because Highglen seems to be from the seventeenth century. Duncan and Highglen feel so familiar to Maren, yet she is sure she has never been there before. Maren and Duncan fall for each other quickly, but Maren's mom is ill and Maren wants to return home to be with her. Will Maren and Duncan find a way to be together with all the distance and complications between them? Sariah Wilson does an amazing job of bringing the characters and the story to life. You can feel the emotions and inner conflicts of the characters. I am hoping that this story will turn into a series. I would love the chance to spend more time in Highglen and get to know the characters some more.

This was, let's just say, weird to me.

I get the whole magical time travel thing, but it was just too quick for me. Plot wise and romance wise. I didn't like it to be honest. I tried to be honest, but I just didn't like it. I didn't even feel the Christmas vibes from it.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc version of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Its basically an Outlander-inspired (it literally mentions Outlander in it) cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie in book form. It was cute in ways, but I am not a fan of insta-love/love at first sight. I let it slide though since it goes along with the whole "magic of Christmas" theme the book is going for. Everything is unbelievable and completely unrealistic, so you just have to take it for what it is: a cute bit of holiday fluff. I could have done without her lusting over Duncan from the first second she laid eyes on him. Having a crush is one thing; constantly talking about wanting to jump his bones in a Christmas book is another. I thought the epilogue was cute. Overall, if you like cheesy holiday fluff, this is for you. Don't be looking for an epic romance like Outlander though.

– It is a CUTE story with a magical twist of time travel and a fantasy village!

At first, the instant love tension between Maren and Duncan felt so cringe and irrational, but I think they’re so cute for each other and maybe all of the coincidence between them was just meant to be.

The world-building is entertaining--I feel like there’s more potential to strengthen the world foundation but for a novella, the writing is OK. For the Scottish accent, it was very unusual for me to read, but it was a great new insight for me!

If you are looking for a cute and quick holiday romance, then you might want to read this book next!

Oh my goodness I don’t even know how to find the words to describe this book. First it is written about a disappearing Christmas town in Scotland which is a lot like one of my all time favorite movies Brigadoon. To be completely honest I didn’t know that going in. I was asked to review it by the author and since I had loved her other books I said absolutely without even knowing what the story was about. I was immediately drawn in and completely mesmerized by the story. I loved every minute.

Fun Christmas rom-com retelling of Brigadoon!

There is an insta-love/soulmates trope (obviously not the book for you if you don't like it but it was handled well here!) and I enjoyed the magical element, the Christmas festivities, and of course the Scottish setting. The romance was sweet and swoony and there was lots of chemistry between Maren and Duncan. I only wish this could have been a longer story because there was so much to digest with the plotline in a novella.

I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.

This was such a fun and charming Christmas novella! I loved the time travel elements and the sweet characters, and all the Christmas activities were so fun. I don’t believe in insta love, but it worked for me in this story. It’s a short and lighthearted story but it also has a lot of depth to it, which I loved. A super cute read for the holiday season!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.