I first want to thank the author Bella Osborne, @headofzeus and @netgalley for allowing me to read an arc of this book. Bella is yet another new author to me, but, oh my life, this certainly won't be the last of her books that I read. What a rollercoaster this story is!!!

So, it starts with the main character, Liv, and her car crash of a love life which really reaches its low point when 'plastic Stan' comes on the scene. Thankfully, she has her lovely sister to buoy her spirits with comments like "Worse things happen in Wetherspoons", I mean, what more support could a heart broken woman need. Honestly, by this point I was belly laughing.

From there we move swiftly on to where she meets a highland cow called Ginger, need I say more. But the hilarity continues with conversations like, Liv ... "Could we not carry her or something?" Fergus ... "What, in a backpack like Yodo?" Honestly, I'm not making this up. It's just so funny.

It's all going swimmingly now, I've sussed out the HEA. Boom!!! Oh no I haven't. I'm in tears. Actually streaming with tears. Thankfully, that didn't last long and we are back to laughter with, 'He held her tight and her jumper burst into song'. I said it was a rollercoaster!!!

#arc #bellaosborneauthor #MistletoeMagicintheHighlands #ebook #headofzeus #bloomsburypublishingplc

I’ve previously enjoyed this author but I felt like I was slogging through this one. The story starts off in a place where I had to suspend my disbelief that any such thing would happen. For me, this one needed more.

Some parts of this story felt disjointed from the overall plot, almost like they should have been cut in the editing process. It's a sweet, Hallmark type Christmas story, but not one that I would want to read again.

This was a cute and cozy read, perfect for cozying up by the fireplace and a cup of tea around the holidays 🥰 I loved all of the characters and their dynamics especially the pure friendship that develops between Effie and Liv. I’d say this reads more like women’s fiction than romance as the romance doesn’t really pick up until the last 10%. Other than that it’s very slow burn to the point where you’re not sure if they’ll even get together. This was more of a story of a woman stepping out of her comfort zone and coming into her own. It was heartwarming, funny, Hallmark movie vibes with a perfect winter setting. I couldn’t ask for much more except a tiny bit more romance!

I’m not sure what to make of this book. I usually enjoy Bella Osborne’s novels and whilst I still did enjoy it, I just found I couldn’t entirely fall for it. I felt I couldn’t relate to the characters and the storyline felt a bit forced for me.

So again; whilst I enjoyed it, it just wasn’t my favourite unfortunately.

3.5 stars

"A ghost of a Christmas to remember!"


Olivia Bingham has always had rotten luck with her choice of men, unlike her perfect sister, Charlotte. An avid user of dating sites, Oliva has been 'ghosted' more times than she can count, but rather than give up, she persists and finally seems to have met her perfect match. Although she and Fraser only ever chat online and never in person, they get on like the proverbial house on fire. There is just one problem, he lives in a remote part of the Scottish Highlands, where he is a chef in what sounds like an idyllic but unlikely named exclusive hotel, called Loch Lochy.

When suddenly Fraser's profile disappears without trace, leaving her unable to contact him, Olivia is aghast and apoplectic with rage that she seems to have been ghosted yet again. Against all remonstrations by her friends and family, Olivia decides that with Christmas fast approaching, she is going to travel the length of the country to confront Fraser and vent her anger and frustration on him for his cowardly behaviour.

Being a confirmed 'townie' the scene which confronts her as she nears her destination, throws Olivia into a complete spin, not made any easier when she manages to damage her car in the deep snow and has to complete her journey on foot. A remote and derelict hotel badly in need of repair, a truly disparate mix of live-in family members, a chef called Fraser who claims to have no idea who she is, has never used a dating site and doesn't seem to even like her, and a blizzard which leaves her stranded and at the mercy of both the elements and her strange hosts and you can probably imagine how much Olivia is looking forward to her enforced alternative Christmas celebrations.

As Olivia begins to unravel the family connections and the reasons for their straightened circumstances, she realises that she might have been a little harsh in her initial assessment of the situation, although that doesn't completely explain away Fraser's reaction to her story, so is he simply lying to avoid having to confront the truth of his actions, or are there other forces at work?

...


Romantic comedy is definitely not a genre I read from too often, although one look at that crazy, happy cover left me in no doubt what I was letting myself in for - or did it? Even I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this quirky storyline and eclectic mix of characters. As well as some laugh-out-loud one liners, there was a serious side of caution to the tale and even a hint of mystery, which didn't get resolved until almost the last minute and as I had no idea who the culprit of all the trouble was - boy was I surprised!

I have to admit that I have no idea about dating sites, or what to expect from them, so when Olivia first referred to 'ghosting', I had to take a few moments to work out exactly what was happening to her! Angry though I would have been to have faced the undignified prospect of being cast aside yet again, I don't think it would have been in my psyche to have made such an arduous and lengthy journey, in order to confront the person. I am obviously not quite as dogmatic as Olivia, who isn't prepared to give up on what seems to be a futile way of trying to meet the man of her dreams and move on to try a new way to attract that perfect partner.

Be prepared to suspend belief as soon as you open the first page of this well crafted, fast-paced storyline, which is written in short punchy chapters and all in the present time, so events are happening real-time and are easy to follow. Olivia's 'townie' upbringing is hilariously laid bare, as are her reactions to the scenes which greet her the further north she travels. When she finally reaches her destination, she is left completely traumatised after having been rammed by a very feisty, fussy and extremely pampered baby bull and from there on out, things are only going to get worse and more bizarre for her.

At first I couldn't quite understand Olivia's erratic character, but the more I got to know her, the more respect I came to have for her, as she tried so hard to make the best of a bad situation and have as enjoyable a festive season as possible. She decides not to let on to Fraser exactly why she is there, at least not until she finds out the mystery surrounding her date site ghosting. Author Bella Osborne has drawn and developed an excellent cast of larger than life characters, who star alongside Olivia and complement her wonderfully. They all play off one another famously, although the star of the show for me was undoubtedly the erstwhile Effie, whilst the stuffy and rather morose Fraser certainly didn't match Olivia's preconceptions of what he would be like in person and he really began to wind me up a couple of times. However, as the circumstances the family find themselves having to deal with unravel the deeper Olivia digs, the amount of stress they are all having to endure might explain some of their eccentric demeanour and behaviour. Help finally comes from a totally unexpected source, which left me agape and bemused all over again. However, solving the mystery of the online 'ghosting' was the icing on top of the cake for me - and did I finally see the hint of a smile from the harassed Fraser, which might even allow Olivia to have a bash at melting his heart?

Whilst there is no real Loch Lochy hotel, the name does refer to an actual Scottish Highlands loch of the same name, set in some amazing countryside and replete with several excellent sounding hotels, to cater for any ardent visitor to the area. Whilst the focus of this storyline is quite narrow and based mostly around the confines of the hotel and its immediate surrounding grounds, the author drops in some lovely descriptive passages, full of detail, which definitely gives a feel for the winter remoteness and beauty of the area, more than adequate for any 'armchair traveller' like myself.

Olivia Bingham does not have the best taste in men, she has been ghosted a lot. When she meets Fraser on a dating app, she thinks he could be the one, until he ghosts her too!. Olivia decides to go to the Highlands to meet Fraser in the flesh. I would love to spend Christmas in The Scottish Highlands, how beautiful it would be. I enjoyed this book.

Let's see this was an interesting one, our girl Liv goes to Scotland because the guy she was talking to on a dating app disappeared from the face of the earth but he told her some things that led her to the hotel where he works to find out why he disappeared if everything was going well between them, this is where she has a small accident with a cow and finally sees Fraser in person, only he doesn't know her and from there it all starts, she helps Fraser and his family with the hotel while a snowstorm falls. Now, the story seemed good to me but there were some things that didn't quite fit me and it would be the romance between the two protagonists, which from my perspective was missing a lot, I feel that the story was more focused on the found family aspect and the friendship between Liv and Fraser's cousin, Eife (which I adored) and that was fine for me, there isn't much drama and it's an easy read.

📌I received an e-arc through netgalley, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.

A total treat of a read. What more do you need to kickstart the festive season than a highland Christmas?
Can I start by saying I totally adored Olivia and her feisty character! She really takes the bull by the horns and confronts Fraser after he ghosts her on a dating app. I Ioved the original plot line and I think we can all sometimes wish we had a little of Olivia's courage. You root for the characters from the very first few pages, making this a totally engrossing festive read. I'll be buying friends and family copies as Christmas presents as this really was a charming read!

Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands isn’t just mistletoe magic, it is a perfect seasonal read, a magical setting, quirky but lovable characters, a mystery to solve plus a castle ghost 👻 to boot. I was completely absorbed in the book, enjoying the Highland hospitality of Fraser and his quirky family. Thank you to the publishers Aria Fiction for a Netgalley Arc of this book.

If you are looking for a book that will give you so much pleasure, then this is the book for you to grab and read. Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands by Bella Osborne is a fun one to read. The author knows how to give her readers the right combination of so much to enjoy.
The characters are a mix of just the right personalities to make the book relatable.
Thank you NetGalley, Bella Osborne and Aria & Aries for the copy of Mistletoe Magic in the Highlands. This is my personal review.

Another adorable read from this author who
Has me smiling and laughing, whilst reading her stories, all the way through.
This is a story involving someone who has been ghosted one time too many
This time she's off to discover why and their excuses, if they've any!

Fired up by the comments of her sister and Mum, too,
Olivia Bingham is certain just what she should do.
She travels up to the Highlands to meet the man face to face
And make him aware his behaviour is a disgrace!

What she didn't anticipate is snow and a puncture, too,
Making it difficult to make her journey through.
Get ready for laughter as she meets with a highland cow
And falls in so many ways - oww!!

A rescue, injury, a hotel that isn't open and surprises galore
Make this the kind of read that I truly adore.
The locals are such a delightful mix
But there are so many things that they need to fix!

This is a story that had me smiling all the way through
I hope you'll read it and enjoy it, too!
For my copy of this book I say a huge thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me an E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

Well this christmasy rom-com was quite quick and easy read and for me personally a good one.
Funny, well written, very fast read, that is what I like in a good rom-com novel. I did not like a lot the relationship between the main characters, I just did not feel the chemistry, they seemed more friends than lovers to be. Also the behaviour of Fraser was sometimes on borderline.
However it did deliver, what I have expected and wanted, so solid 3 and half stars.
Would recommend.

What a delight this book was! Every Bella Osborne book I read has such a distinctive voice to it, she is a contemporary author who skillfully writes books that you don't get confused between.

This is a book full of heart and humour. I found myself laughing out loud throughout and falling in love with each and every character.
I'm not always a fan of the grumpy x sunshine trope but this love story was a blast. I was rooting for those two right from the get go!

Set in December, it's a Christmas book that doesn't shove Christmas down your throat. There's enough festive cheer for the Christmas lovers but not too much for the Scrooges amongst us.

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a festive romance and a bit of funny escapism.

This was such a fun time! As someone who reads books in all genres this having no spice was such a cute time! Made all the little things that much sweeter!
The one thing I didn’t love is the “grumpy” to her sunshine… she kinda never got un-grumpy to me😂 he was just not a happy bean but that’s okay! In the end it all worked out, I just wished the chemistry between them was a bit more intense and on paper!

This was a nice winter/Christmas story set in the highlands. I loved Ginger the highland cow as a side character. Sometimes it was slightly difficult to warm up to Liv as a female main character, but I liked Effie and Fraser on the other hand. The main plot takes a while to kick off but then it’s a cute read and I enjoyed the dynamics in the book. Effie in particular seemed to be a very special person and I loved that the other characters accepted her for who she is and that she is a bit different. I think that gave the story a nice message in addition to the romance. In my view this is a nice book and something different from other winter books I’ve read so far. If you love books set in the highlands, this one might be a nice one for you!

What a gorgeous read; cute, cosy and charming. I have really enjoyed this.

Poor unlucky-in-love Liv is devastated when yet another attempt at a relationship ends in her being ghosted. But this time she won’t take it lying down and pops off to Scotland to track down the elusive Fraser and find out what was such a turn off for him. Of course, nothing is quite what it seems.

An easy festive read, perfect to start getting into the Christmas mood.

Thank you for my ARC.

This book took a little time to get into, but then I couldn’t put it down. What a quirky cast of characters. I loved the witty dialogue. Cute Scottish Christmas story.

Such a good read! it was a quick easy read, a romantic comedy between olivia Bingham and Fraser Douglas. Cutesy Christmas romance with twists, turns, and bumps in the road. It is a forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and grumpy/sunshine. Really loved the ending!!<3

It's a Bella Osborne book, so obviously it's going to be a five fat stars review! I have adored every, single book she's written that I've read so far.

I have spent so much time in the Scottish Highlands of late - purely for bookish reasons - and it's fast become my favourite place for festive fiction. The snow and the promise of a Highland cow or two was a winner too!

It's a gorgeous Christmas read that follows Olivia and Fraser on their journey to romance. It's heartwarming feel good fiction at its finest. The characters are cute and the story was an absolute joy to read.