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Scotlander by Sheila McClureMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
3ā
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.
*Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
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Book blurb:
When the Big C takes her best friend too soon, Willa Jenkins struggles to recapture the joy in her life, and all she wants is to get away from LAās glitzy party circuit. But superfan Valentina had other plans. For her final, wickedly funny act, sheās packing her bestie off on a two-week Outlander-themed experience at Balcraigie Castle, Scotland.
Expecting a couple of weeks with Valentinaās hot brother Gabe, Willa gets more than she bargained for when sheās put to work doing actual, real-life farm work. Not only that, but to get the āfullā experience, sheās paired up with the irritatingāand irritatingly sexyāFinn, with whom she will pose as fake husband and wife for the next two weeks.
Willa despairs of Valentinaās terrible trick. But then she makes a discovery. Finnās family might just lose the castle if they canāt make the experience worthwhile for the other attendees. The stakes are high, but as the days pass and the fake marriage she signed up for starts to feel all too real, could Willa be in for a prize of a different kindā¦love?
Purchase Links
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scotlander-Sheila-McClure-ebook/dp/B0BBXQ9RP9
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/scotlander-sheila-mcclure/1142119516?ean=9781662505324
Author Bio ā Sheila McClure lives in the English countryside with her Scottish husband, their dogs, Harris and Skye, and a small herd of delightfully striped Belted Galloway cattle. Prior to rural life in the UK, she was a camerawoman and news producer for Associated Press Television. As sheās originally from Seattle, she began her working life as a barista. She has also written books as Annie OāNeil and Daisy Tate. She will never refuse a quality dill pickle.
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Giveaway to Win a paperback copy of Scotlander plus a packet of Tunnocks Teacakes (Open to UK only)
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