A Natural Storyteller....
New lives for Lissa and Cormac in the new release from Jenny Colgan. A heartwarming tale, well drawn characters with some heavy themes that are dealt both with sensitivity and compassion. A natural storyteller.

I really enjoyed the two previous books in the bookshop series so was looking forward to reading this one too. As with the others this was an enjoyable read and a very apt time to be read in the current Covid-19 situation with the main characters being nurses. A well written and thought out book. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Finding Jenny Colgan’s newest book on Netgalley is a treat and it doesn’t matter that I am posting this three days after the book’s release - I know I read it before.

Lissa loves her job as a nurse, but recently she's been doing a better job of looking after other people than herself. When a traumatic incident at work leaves her feeling overwhelmed, she agrees to swap lives with someone in a quiet village in Scotland.

Five hundred miles north by northwest of London is the small village of Kirrinfief, where Cormac is restless. A medic just out of the army, he desperately needs distraction, of which there's precious little in Kirrinfief. Maybe three months in London is what he needs.

As Lissa and Cormac warm to their new lives, emailing back and forth, things seem to be falling into place. But each of them feel there's a piece missing. What - or who - could it be? And what if it's currently five hundred miles away?

I would have preferred that it didn't take me over four days to get through the first quarter of the book. It was only once Lissa and Cormac settled in their new environment did the pace pick up. From thereon it was a rollercoaster, with Lissa getting herself acquainted with the Highland life and Cormac finding himself adjusting well to London with plenty of help from Lissa’s best friend, Kim-Ange, who, I must confess, turned out to be my favourite character - spunky with equal measures of style and sass.

The book delves into lives of healthcare workers and their experiences with anxiety and PTSD, while continuing to keep patient care their top priority, something which needs to be acknowledged and respected in present times.

As always, Colgan’s descriptions of the countryside are delightful. If they don’t make you want to drop everything and head over to the Scottish Highlands for an extended holiday, you’re not reading it right.

Five Hundred Miles From You by Jenny Colgan. Published in May 2020. This ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Sphere - an imprint of Little Brown Book Group UK.

Really enjoyed this lovely story, likeable characters and a well played out romance. Perfect for some escapist reading. thank you.

Lissie and Cormac are our focus for this story, and even though they don’t actually meet until very late on in the book it’s a heart-warming story of how they fall in love.
Lissie is traumatised after helping a young boy injured in a gang-related attack. He was a cousin of someone she knew, but the upset and outrage she feels is palpable...and it’s no wonder that this incident leaves her anxious about work and living in London. The answer in this is that she’s encouraged to participate in an exchange. She goes to work for three months in a rural Scottish village near Loch Ness, and Cormac (the nurse she swaps with) gets to work in London.
Inevitably, there’s the inevitable focus on the reaction of each character to their new setting. The Scottish landscape would win hands down - and Colgan’s love for her new home country shines through. The idea of three English girls settling in the same little village could be laughable, but I can completely see the reaction they get happening.
We have quite a cast of characters, whose main role seems to be to highlight why Lissie and Cormac should get together. There were some upsetting moments, but at a time when we’re all so deeply indebted to those NHS workers doing their jobs, it was nice to have a reminder of why they’re so important.
Another hit in the series, and I can’t wait to see who pops up next. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this before publication.

This book is a lesson in how books can be both wildly romantic but also impressively real life at the same time. It has been too long since I have been immersed in a Jenny Colgan novel and I am so happy to be back in her world once again, this truly was a triumph.



I absolutely loved the premise behind this novel, the idea of a job swap and living in one another's lives in the best kind of meet cute there could be and both of these characters were the kind of people who needed that change to push them out of their comfort zones and really make them sit up and take notice. I loved watching the journey that Lissa and Cormac both took during the course of this book. I loved all the intricate details they both knew about each other's lives and those we were let into as reader-it felt really special.



Lissa is a really cool character to get to know because we know she has gone through a trauma, we start the book with that and so seeing how she deals with that instantly lets us into the secret of her character. Then taking her out of her comfort zone and dropping her in the middle of nowhere to sink or swim was really fun. I loved Cormac from the start, I would really love to have met him in real life and he is the person I would really like to see more from in future Jenny Colgan novels. I loved how he handled himself and I really liked watching his journey of bringing some Scottish heart to London.



The book is a dual narrative of sorts which always make for a quicker read for me but there is occasionally a third voice, a kind of narrator who I can only assume is Jenny Colgan talking to us and this made the book read just a little like a fairytale, I felt it added another level and really appreciated it. I also feel like the setting added another level, I loved the juxtaposition between the Scottish setting and the urban hum of London. Having spent time living in both settings I could feel the difference coming off the pages and this writer’s description triggering lots of memories for me.



I listened to this book on audio and the narrator did a really great job. When the book had both an English and a Scottish character I was prepared to be let down by the narrator's accents but she did really well with both accents and dialects and so I highly recommend this book to you in whatever format you choose.

It’s a Jenny Colgan book, do I need to say anymore !
It’s absolutely marvellous, it kept me entertained and interested from the first page to the last.
Lissa and Cormac are wonderful characters, Jenny always writes such wonderful characters, you want to be friends with them yourself and move to their towns it’s so happy a place.
Jenny’s worlds are happy, that’s not to say there won’t be drama or upset, but I know I’m always guaranteed a smile and a warm, fuzzy feeling when I’m finished.
Just another fabulous heartwarming contribution from Jenny Colgan, the reason she’s one of my favourite authors.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I love Jenny’s books, she’s one of my favourite authors. Her stories reel me in from the first few pages and I often have to force myself to put the book down so that I can sleep.

Lissa is a nurse in London and witnesses a very traumatic incident whilst out on a community call. It’s made even worse by the fact that she knows the victim.

Cormac is an ex-Army medic working in Kirrinfeif, a small town in the Scottish Highlands.

Lissa’s and Cormac’s paths cross when they’re involved with the parties in a heart transplant, and their managers suggest they take part in a new ‘swop’ scheme for three months. The story covers lots of important subjects with sensitivity and warmth.

I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

A lovely book that covers so many different issue but still gives you a warm fuzzy feeling. Set in London and Scotland you feel the you get to know both places from an insiders point of view. The story follows Lissa and Cormac two community nurses that swap places for three months. They each have to learn to adapt to their new surroundings and the people around them. Enough of a plot to keep you entertained without getting too heavy going.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sphere for the early e-book copy.

So grateful so be given this book to review by NetGalley as I had recently read The Bookshop On The Shore and loved it.
This book features some of the characters from TBOTS as incidental to the plot and it was good to check in with them.
This new book is a great read from Jenny (as always) and tells the story of two very different nurses from two very different communities who take part in a job swap opportunity. The story is cleverly told from both perspectives and you really get involved with the individual stories.
Would recommend to all fans of Jenny’s.

I didn't read this book, I inhaled it!
I love Jenny Colgan's book and this one is amongst my favorite.
It's a great story with a cast of amazing characters and a lovely setting.
I appreciated how well she wrote Lyssa and her path to heal and how funny were the two characters in facing and unknown environment.
It was an excellent read and I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Warm-hearted Nurse Practitioner Liaison, Lissa works with passion and conviction in inner city London. Five Hundred Miles away (the clue is in the title), former Army medic, Cormac applies himself with a similar sense of gusto in the Scottish Highland setting on Kirrinfief. Lissa's world is shattered when she witnesses the fatal stabbing of a fifteen-year-old boy and she develops PTSD meaning she is unable to function and do her job without suffering flashbacks. At the other end of the country, Cormac is feeling restless and so a temporary job swap is proposed. Soon Lissa is heading for the Highlands whilst Cormac prepares for city life. As part of their exchange, they have to email each other daily details of their regular patients and case notes, which is the cue for a fledgling friendship. If you've ever read Jenny Colgan before then you won't be disappointed as this is feelgood fiction at its best. This novel is also populated by much loved characters from other books so diehard fans are treated to a catch up on the lives of librarian Nina and farmer Lennox from 'The Little Shop of Happy Ever After', ' along with Zoe and Ramsey from 'The Bookshop on the Shore', and there's even a passing reference to 'Huckle Honey' - which all add an extra dimension to the story. However, for Colgan newbies, the book is equally enjoyable as a standalone escapist read. Fans of 'The Switch' and 'Flatshare' by Beth O'Leary would also enjoy this story. Thank you as always to Netgalley for the advance review copy.

I can't begin to tell you how much I loved this book. I have read most of Jenny Colgan's books, and this is definitely one of my favourite books that she has written.
The story is set in the small Highlands village of Kirrinfief and also in London. Kirrinfief is the setting of some of Jenny's previous books, and we are re-acquainted with some of the characters from them. Lennox, Zoe, Fraser and Nina pop up regularly throughout the book. This is definitely a standalone book though.
Lissa and Cormac are both nurses you work with the community, in London and Scotland respectively. A tragic incident leads to them swapping their jobs for 3 months. They have never met, but they build up a rapport as they swap helpful messages about their work.
This book certainly has a much more emotional and serious feel to it than some of Jenny's books, although there are plenty of lighthearted and funny moments too.
It was fascinating reading about the jobs that both Lissa and Cormac attended to within their communities, especially the ones in London. This, along with the subject of PTSD wasn't easy reading, but definitely thought provoking. These parts of the book were extremely well written.
I highly recommend reading this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

I love Jenny Colgan’s book so was delighted to get started on this one.

Lissa and Cormac, for different reasons, decide to do a job swap for 3 months for a break from their ‘norma’’ lives and issues.
Lissa is based in bustling London while Cormac is based in a small highland village - Kirrinfief. (Which if you are a Jenny Colgan fan you will have heard of before - we also see guest appearances from some of the ‘bookshop’ characters, which is lovely as you feel you already know them). The contrast between these two locations makes the change of base quite a dramatic one for both of them..

While they both adjust and get used to their new temporary lives it’s lovely to see how they both adapt to their new surroundings and also how they get to know each other via texts back and forth.

While this book is a joy to read it does touch on some pretty hard hitting topics so is definitely thought provoking as well as being a great read

Jenny always creates such lovely characters that you can’t help but be drawn in and want the best for them. I was desperate for these two to get together while reading the book. Her descriptions of the locations are also very vivid and really bring them to life for the reader.
I would highly recommend this book. It’s such a nice distraction from all of today’s issues - it took me away from it all for a few days I didn’t want it to end!

Many thanks to Little Brown Book Group Uk, NetGalley and the author for the ARC of this book

The rain was battering off the window and it was howling a gale so what better way to spend it than reading Jenny Colgan’s new book. And can I just say what a fantastic read it was. I greedily consumed the book even though I didn’t want it to end. I need to know more about all of these wonderful people!!!

The story centres around Lissa and Cormac - a small village on the shores of Loch Ness, Kirrinfief and a big bustling city, London. Two people who have never met but who have effectively swapped lives as part of an exchange programme. Both of whom have experienced traumatic events in their pasts.

Ah! A truly fantastic book - my only complaint is that it over!!! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This was a lovely feel good story about 2 nurses Lissa based in London and Cormac from a small village close to Loch Ness who swap jobs for 3 months. Lissa who is trying to recover from observing a fatal hit and run relocates to a small village so different to what she is used to in London. Cormac who was in the Army before coming back to the village as a nurse finds London much busier than what he is used to.
They both settle in well and start to get to know each other via text at the same time as adapting to their new temporary lives.
Thanks to Net Galley for this advanced copy.

Five Hundred Miles From You is a very cute and quirky tale of two strangers being thrown into the other's everyday life. The emails and text messages between Lissa and Cormac that intersperse the regular narrative are sweet and possibly promising more (no spoilers here ;o)). What Colgan once again excels at is creating a dreamy setting: Especially in the cleverly drawn contrast to London, Scotland seems more than magical. The descriptions of the clear air, relaxing quiet and wonderfully idiosyncratic but utterly lovely people made me yearn for our little cottage in Fife, and while London is described as vibrant and cosmopolitan, it definitely loses out in comparison. Big time! I mean it - you will not want to live in a big city after reading this! We also meet well-known characters from what I'll here call the author's 'bookshop books' - Nina, Lennox, Zoe, Ramsay and many more all make an appearance, and it's great to see how Colgan weaves another plotline into her world of Kirrinfief.

As with all of Colgan's books, this is a refreshing read - a story that will warm your heart and make you re-evaluate some of your life decisions. It has quite a bit of depth as well, dealing with the effects of trauma and grief. Taking all of this together it is the perfect story for a balmy summer evening - maybe with a glass of chilled elderflower wine and a platter of Scottish cheese?

Five Hundred Miles From You will be out on 28th of May with Little Brown/Sphere. A huge thank you goes to both the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advance readers' copy.

Jenny Colgan novels have always been a favourite of mine, and as a long-standing reader I can say for certain this is one of her best. It has a similar formula to some of her newer novels and I loved the little cameo from Lennox! It has heart (no pun intended), a fabulous cast of characters and the main storyline is absolutely brilliant- quite different to anything Colgan has done before.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into crime/thriller books and even psychological thrillers too so I am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK for this e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Publication date 28th May 2020.

This was my third time reading a Jenny Colgan book and I really enjoyed it. She writes such captivating stories. Five Hundred Miles From You is the third in the Scottish Bookshop series, of which I haven’t read the other two (yet), but even so, I found this book easy to follow and I loved all the characters. I had a soft spot for Cormac, but also liked Lissa a lot.

The opening was quite surprising from what I’ve come to expect from the other Jenny Colgan books I’ve read, but it set out the interest subject matter of organ donors. I myself am an organ donor and have been since I was 17 and this book highlights the importance of signing up for the organ donor register. I really enjoyed this part of the plot and how it was all wrapped up at the end (no spoilers of course)!

I found it such a great experience to be reading this book during the COVID-19 crisis, particularly as the two main characters are nurses. It showed what wonderful work they do but also the struggles that healthcare workers (as long as the rest of us) can face due to mental health. I felt that this was so important and that Colgan presented Lissa’s PTSD and anxiety in a very sensitive, understanding and accurate way. I loved how the setting, particularly that of Scotland, was connected up with Lissa’s mood and struggles, and it showed how valuable nature is for our health and wellbeing.
This book followed the formula of other Jenny Colgan books that I’ve read, where the main character moves to a quiet town and takes her time settling in. Reading about Lissa adjusting to a small Scottish village, after the pace of life in London, was so entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the scene where she met the farmer, Aonghas Collins, as it made me laugh out loud and finally showed Lissa starting to relax and settle in.

The growing friendship / relationship between Lissa and Cormac was so cute and the back and forth texts gave me vibes of Beth O’Leary’s The Flatshare. I loved how they tentatively grew more open with each other and began to trust each other. All of these conversations warmed my heart and made me root for them both so much. One of my favourite scenes starring Cormac was when he organised a Scottish-themed party in the nurses hall with Kim-Ange, and all he could think about was Lissa! One of the notes I made for myself whilst reading this book was “Cormac and Lissa PLEASE FALL IN LOVE ASAP”, which shows how engaged and invested I was in their stories.

I don’t want to give any major spoilers, but the final few chapters were so good and they kept me on the edge of my seat! I will definitely be getting my hands on the first two in this series as I loved the setting and all the secondary characters, so I’d like to see what happened with them in the previous books. This book was a really enjoyable read and I highly recommend Jenny Colgan books to any romance fiction fans!