I enjoyed this book at the beginning and was really following along with Bailey and her new life, as well as the mysterious rumors about Mr. King and a returning bad actor from Bailey's past. I liked how she had reinvented herself, and I loved Shackman's descriptions of the little flower show, the adorable town, and just the setting in general. The characters were fun, and the sparks between Bailey and Zach were setting up a great love story.

However, the story felt like it had pacing issues starting around the middle, It felt like too many B-plots crowded out the Bailey and Zach story, with a subplot about long-lost daughters, another about Bailey's past, one about Bailey's brother,'s love life one about Bailey's relationship with her mom, another about Zach's past, and still another plot involving sinister blackmail. While everything was connected, it often felt jumbled and the emotions jumped up quickly, leading to heated fights without it feeling like a fight was warranted in this case. For instance, when Zach is made at Bailey, it just really didn't make sense for him to be so mad. It was all explained later, but by then, I was struggling to suspend disbelief.

Overall, it was a fun book with good characters, settings, and dialogue. However, the plot was overly convoluted and would have benefited from pruning a few sub-plots.

Book Review: A Scottish Highland Hideaway

I recently delved into A Scottish Highland Hideaway by Julie Shackman, and I couldn’t be more delighted with the experience. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Scottish Highlands, this novel perfectly captures the essence of starting over and the magic of unexpected love.

The protagonist, Bailey McArthur, instantly resonated with me. Running her own floristry shop in the charming town of Heather Moore, she’s grappling with the aftermath of being jilted on her wedding day. Her journey of self-discovery and healing is beautifully portrayed, making me root for her from the very beginning. Shackman’s descriptions of the town and its natural beauty made me feel as if I were right there with Bailey, immersed in the vibrant colors and scents of her floral creations.

Enter Zach Stern, the journalist who stirs up Bailey's life while investigating a famous actor hiding nearby. I loved the chemistry between Bailey and Zach, especially as she attempts to protect the actor’s secret while navigating her own feelings for him. Their banter and the tension that arises from her secrets added layers to the story, keeping me hooked.

The narrative flows effortlessly, with engaging subplots and a cast of quirky characters that enhance the overall charm. Each twist and turn kept me on my toes, and I appreciated how Shackman weaved together themes of love, friendship, and self-acceptance.

As I turned the pages, I found myself completely absorbed, often losing track of time. The ending brought me the feel-good factor I was hoping for, leaving me with a warm sense of satisfaction.

Overall, A Scottish Highland Hideaway is a delightful read that celebrates love, resilience, and the beauty of new beginnings. If you're looking for a cozy escape filled with heart and humor, I highly recommend this charming novel!

Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me and i ended up DNFing at about 20% - while I loved the setting and the premise sounded like a fun one I found the actual writing to be quite dry and I just couldn’t feel anything for the characters at all.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. This is a first by this author but will not be my last! I read this in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down.

OK so I discovered Julie's books last year with a brilliant Christmas book that I absolutely devoured and so when this one came up I knew I had to read it. I really love her writing style it makes for such an easy book to read because I practically step into the places she created like I'm watching the interaction in Bailey's shop or gossiping with her employees, I love that it feels that way. It's a really well-done enemies-to-lovers trope, much like Bailey I started off distrusting and disliking Zach and he really had to work to earn that trust so that by the end I was yelling at Bailey to go find him and have her happy ending because they clearly are meant to be.
But I have to say my absolute favourite interactions in the whole book were Bailey and Ezra. They were so similar and their experiences with the media were almost mirror image to some degree and I loved how caring Bailey was towards him because she knew what he was going through in that regard and she wanted to protect him. Their friendship was by far my favourite relationship in the book(yes I know it's meant to be the romance but you read it and tell me you didn't love them!).
Everything about this book gave me the autumnal vibes and I am so ready to embrace that, this book gave me the cosy feeling I needed and I will definitely be rereading it soon. Julie Shackman is an auto-buy author for me and I plan to head into her back catalogue asap for more trips to Scotland.

A Scottish Highland Hideaway is the seventh book in the Scottish Escapes series by Julie Shackman, and follows the story of Bailey and Zach.

Bailey had been through so much, including public and viral humiliation, so when she arrives in Heather Moore under an assumed name, she begins life anew, keen to remain anonymous. When she meets Ezra, a famous actor, she empathises with his desire for anonymity because of her own experiences. As a result when journalist Zach turns up in Heather Moore, Bailey feels incredibly protective of Ezra, and begins to keep secrets from Zach. In spite of being drawn to Zach with his brooding good looks and his assurances that he is not in search of scandals, given the company he works for, Bailey feels unable to completely trust him, not just to protect Ezra, but also to protect herself.

There were so many secrets and intrigues in this beautifully festive story. I loved the community spirit and the romance, but it was also a story of familial love, family, friendships, trust, deception, betrayal and jealousy. In addition the floral creations made by Bailey and her team sounded incredible, and made me want to organise some festive flowers and wreaths for the coming winter!

A Scottish Highland Hideaway is the seventh 'episode' in the Scottish Escapes series by Shackman. It reads perfectly as a standalone too.

The Highlands are like the perfect backdrop aren't they, add in some autumnal vibes and it's absolute perfection!

I loved the characters, especially the whole enemies to lovers trope with Bailey and Zach. They were perfectly paired, they just didn't know it yet and there was so much more to both of them than met the eye...am I going to tell? No, you need to read it for yourself!

A lovely story of starting over, friendships and familial drama, that's heartwarming, enjoyable and an absolute joy to read.

Loved this book. Such a cute easy read. Would definitely recommend if you’re looking for an easy feel good story.

This was a lovely story to escape into for a few hours. While this is book seven in the Scottish Escape series, each book stands on its own, so readers can jump in at any point in the series.

The writing was vivid, especially the descriptions of the small town of Heather Moore in the transformation from Fall to Christmas. I could easily imagine the scenes in my mind and wished I could travel to Bailey’s cute apartment over her flower shop.

Bailey’s growth and transformation as a character was fun to watch. She’s such a likable character. I love her commitment to her shop and her friends. The spark between Zach and Bailey was sweet and was just the right amount of romance for this story.

Readers looking for a cozy love story will enjoy this inspiring armchair travel.

A nice festive easy read. Some lovely descriptions of Scotland and stately homes and I especially liked the descriptions of the flowers and floral arrangements.

There was plenty going on and I liked Bailey and admired what she was trying to do in turning her life around and trying to succeed on her own without her family name and influence. The twists and turns with Ezra and his storyline kept the intrigue going and add in an investigative reporter in Zach and it made for interesting reading. The ‘rescue’ scene was the best as finally Bailey and Zach spoke honestly to each other.

Overall a good read, perfect for cosy nights in.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW


Review for 'A Scottish Highland Hideaway' by Julie Shackman.

WOW!!!! What can I say?!?! Yet another absolutely beautiful book that I fell in love with from this absolutely amazing author!!!

This book is beautifully written with vivid descriptions setting the picture perfectly in the readers mind. The title, description and cover works perfectly with the storyline.

This stunning storyline takes us on a stunning and unforgettable holiday to the gorgeous Highlands where we meet Bailey McArthur who is trying to build a new life after she was ditched at the altar. We journey into the gorgeous town of Heather Moore where she works as a florist making and well known for her stunning floral masterpieces. However, trying to rebuild her life isn't easy when journalist Zach Stern turns up asking about a famous actor and refusing to back down. With a storyline filled with gorgeous settings, secrets, romance, heartbreak, love, second chances, joy, twists, turns and so, so much more this is a must read for anyone looking for a feel good page turner!!! It had me laughing until I had tears streaming down my face, smiling until my face ached and falling in love. I have not been to Scotland since I was a child but Julie whisked me back there at the turn of a page and I did not want to leave. I was devastated when I came to the end and had to "unpack" my suitcase and return to rainy Wales!! Her stunning evocative and emotive writing skills ensured I could feel the sun on my face, feel the joy beaming from the characters and smell the beautiful flowers as if I was right next to Bailey throughout. I just absolutely love, Love, LOVED this absolutely stunning book so don't even waste your time reading more than this and go and grab your copy now!! I can promise you wont regret it!! This book really is a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I was utterly glued to the pages and I could not bring myself to put it down. I was carrying my kindle around with me every chance that I got as I just could not put it down and ended up devouring it in one sitting then being gutted I had finished it so quickly!! It is is one gorgeous book with a stunning location that I would absolutely love to visit!! Although this is the seventh book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader. I cannot wait to go back and read the previous 5 books in this series. I have already read the sixth book which is called 'The Bookshop By The Loch' which I completely and utterly fell in love with but haven't managed to get around to reading the ones before that but I cannot wait to and I also cannot wait until the eighth book comes out which is called ' A Scottish Island Summer' which is available to preorder for when it is published on the 30th January 2025 which gives me plenty of time to devour the previous books!!!

Clear your schedules and grab the tissues as this is one gorgeous and unputdownable stunner that will keep you hooked and have tears streaming down your face❤️

I absolutely loved getting to know the characters in this book who were all strong, realistic. I became completely invested in each and every one of them. They all had their own problems, secrets, feelings and all had unique personalities and I just absolutely loved getting to know them all. I absolutely loved Bailey and getting to know her as well as meeting previous characters from 'The Bookshop By The Loch' who have all become like friends to me. I also enjoyed meeting Zach and some more characters and am looking forward to seeing them all again in the next book in this must read series!! Thanks to Julie's fantastic writing skills she ensured I felt each of their love , friendship, pain, heartbreak, happiness, anger, sorrow and so much more. Regardless of if I loved them or not the characters they each played their parts perfectly and it wouldn't have been as amazing a read as it was if I had loved them all!!! Julie does an absolutely amazing job of bringing the story to life and the characters leap out of the pages as your turning them thanks to her evocative writing skills!! Well done Julie!!! I am hoping to meet several of the characters in Julie's previous and future books.

Congratulations Julie on yet another absolutely gorgeous and heart-warming read filled with everything you could ever ask for in a page turner!!! This is the exact reason that you are in my favourite author list and here's to your next success 🥂

Overall an absolutely gorgeous book that will keep you glued to the pages, sweep you away to the Highlands and warm your heart ❤️!!!

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A lovely story of a woman who is trying to hide from her past as a party girl and restart her life after being left at the altar and also a big name celebrity is also hiding out when a newspaper man comes on the hunt for him she thinks he is after her too. Can she keep her past life a secret too. I really enjoyed this book and loved the characters and how theu were trying to sort their life. Was a lovely story I didn't want to put down.

3.5⭐️

This was an easy to read book with a beautiful setting, likeable characters and a good plot.

It follows the story of aristocrat Bailey who is hiding out in the Highlands after being left at the altar. Also in the equation is Zach, a journalist, who is after Bailey’s story.

I read this in one sitting. It was easy to do. The setting is gorgeous and the picturesque description of the area will make you plan a trip to the Highlands.

There were quirky characters who although briefly mentioned made the plot a bit hilarious. This was filled with a bit of family drama here and there (the main characters had them).

I didn’t see much connection between Bailey and Zach other than the takeout scene and rescue scene.

If you love women’s fiction and the Highlands then you should read this.

3.5 stars

I’ve enjoyed another one in this series, so thought I’d give this one a try too. It’s always fun for me to read a story set in Scotland since I am in love with the country! This one had an interesting story line with a jilted at the altar former aristocrat party girl moving to a small town to escape the gossip and shame of what had happened with her ex-fiancee who left her at the altar and took off with the money she’d thought she was donating to a charity. The small town where she ends up is a great hiding place for other people with similar issues, including a famous actor that just happens to stop by her shop. At first they find a bit of kinship, even though she doesn’t tell him who she is.

When a gossip magazine reporter, Zach, starts sniffing around for this actor, Ezra, she feels it is her duty to help Ezra keep his privacy. With her past she assumes Zach is only there for a sensational story no matter who it hurts. But when Ezra feels she’s meddled too much, he cuts ties. And after Bailey does some research on who exactly Zach is, she begins to wonder if he really is the gossip rag reporter he seems to be at first.

There’s more to the story than just this romance and the mystery of Ezra’s hiding out. Bailey’s family has its own issues, including her brother’s fiancee leaving him, and her society mother being a bit of a meddler. In the end, their family turns out to not be as bad, and there are reasons, even if hidden from the others that things happen. But when Zach finds out that Bailey is someone he actually had looked into about a story, he also cuts things off.

I wasn’t thrilled with some of how that bit went. Some miscommunication/misunderstanding aspects. In the end though, I liked how everything wrapped up, and I appreciated why Zach did some of the things he did, even if they made me mad. A sweet story and I can see lots of people enjoying this one!

Family drama, investigative journalism, identity and reputation are just a few of the themes in this story set in an idyllic village in the Scottish Highlands; Bailey has reinvented herself to cope with a personal tragedy that has destroyed her trust. When Zach, an investigative journalist, arrives following a scandalous story, she is fearful her real identity will be discovered and force her to move on. It explores contemporary issues and relationships and has several mysteries to solve. There is a good balance of humour, poignancy, and gentle romance. It is an enjoyable read. I like the characters, the contemporary themes and the contrast with the idyllic setting.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I received a free copy of, A Scottish Highland Hideaway, by Julie Shackman, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book seven of eight in The Scottish Escapes Series. Bailey MacArthur has her own florist shop, Flower Power, in Heather Moore, in Scotland. When a celebrity comes to town she tries to keep a horrible person I mean a journalist who wants to oust the celebrity in town. This was a nice engaging read. I loved the town, and Bailey.

After being jilted at the altar, Bailey moves to a small town in Scotland to open a flower shop and escape her old life as an heiress. There she runs into a movie star, who is also trying to flee after writing a tell-all book. Hot on his heels is a reporter trying to find him and he starts butting heads with Bailey trying to find answers.


This was a light, fun, interesting read. I liked Bailey as a main character and was rooting for her to find happiness in her new life. Zach was a bit annoying at first with his pushiness as he tried to get his story. I liked Ezra and loved her friendship with him as they both tried to find a new place in their life.
I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.


Thanks to @harpercollinsuk, @onemorechapter @rachelsrandomresources, @netgalley and the author for this ARC.

Thank you Net Galley for the eARC! It’s always a wonderful opportunity.

Overall this book was okay. There wasn’t anything that stuck out about this story to engage me with the plot and characters. On a positive note, I did love the setting. The author did a wonderful job at descriptions and setting the scene. The beginning felt more immersive and as the story went on it fell a bit flat for me. I didn’t entirely connect with Bailey and Zach and I think that’s primarily where it lost me.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

I love Julie's books because I'm often surprised by the direction in which she takes her stories. I know I am going to get a charming and heartwarming story, but she always throws in a twist that I was never expecting. I love being surprised. I really enjoyed this book. I'm a sucker for a small-town romance set in Scotland, and Julie did a fabulous job at capturing that small-town charm. The prologue is absolutely perfection in that Julie hooks her readers in and leaves them needing to know what will happen next.
The overall story has a steady pace that is bound to keep its readers entertained. This book has plenty of drama, mystery, and the beginning of a charming romance. Bailey has moved to Heather Moore, hoping to have a fresh start and leave all the glitz and glam behind her. She has worked really hard to hide her true identity from the small community of Heather Moores. She owns a small florist shop, where she meets Ezra King. Ezra is a big celebrity who is also looking to escape the limelight. Bailey has agreed to help keep Ezra's identity a secret. But of course, things become rather complicated when Zach, who is a journalist, starts asking questions about Ezra. There is this whole mystery around why Zach is so keen on interviewing Ezra; he mentions something shocking from Ezra's past, and as the book goes on, other mini-mysteries start cropping up around Ezra. The mystery elements in this story made it quite an addictive read. I wanted to unravel all these mysteries around Ezra. It was really well done. There is also a lot of drama in this book. There is the drama surrounding Ezra, and then there is the family drama that comes from Bailey's family. I enjoy a book that is bursting with drama, so this was right up my alley.
I liked all the characters. Bailey is instantly likeable, and I couldn't help but root for her. She truly wants to leave her old life behind her. She loves what she has created in Heather Moores. But there is this almost constant fear that someone will recognize her and everything she has built will come crashing down upon her. Zach is a prickly character and also a bit of a mystery. We really have to peel back those layers to understand what is going on underneath that gruff exterior. Bailey and Zach don't get along at first. Zach thinks Bailey is heading information about Ezra, and Bailey thinks Zach has no moral scruples because he is determined to thrust Ezra back into the limelight. The banter between these two is sharp, and I devoured the war of wills that was going on between them. There is definitely a slow-burn feel to their relationship. Those frosty feelings between Bailey and Zach do take a bit to thaw. But that slow-burn feel to their relationship helped to make it feel more real. I loved Zach and Bailey so much that I wished they were together on the main more often. I understood why they weren't, but that greedy romantic part of me couldn't get enough of these two.
A Scottish Highland Hideaway is another stunning and heartwarming love story by the very talent Julie Shackman.