Dreaming Under an Island Skye is a beautiful and emotional story set on the beautiful island of Skye. Skye is one of those places I haven't visited for a while and of course this book has me longing to go there again.

Lisa Hobman had me almost in tears in the first chapter. Having just met the wonderful Laurie in the prologue, I was so sad to find that just eight years later, Juliette was a widow having lost Laurie to cancer. There were many moving moments throughout this book but don't worry, it's not all about grief and sadness, rather is is a lovely story of finding happiness after different kinds of loss. As the front cover says, you can take your memories anywhere and sometimes the right thing to do is to make a fresh start. That was certainly the case for Juliette who takes the opportunity of a long break from her work to move to Skye for a few month, to the village where her mother was from.

The characters in this book are just wonderful and the emotional development was so well done. The way Juliette began to come to terms with the loss of her husband was beautifully described, not just quickly and unrealistically glossed over. She had wonderful support from her friend Millie and her brother Dexter and was quickly welcomed into the community of Glentorrin, especially when she took over guardianship of the local Lifeboat Museum. She has difficulties initially with grumpy single dad Reid McKinnon but I loved the way she supported him and didn't give up when she recognised in him the emotions she had experienced. Reid's young son and Evin and his mad dog Chewie went straight to my heart. Of course, not all of the community were pleased to welcome the incomer and there were a few troubles caused by one or two of the villagers!

There are some difficult themes addressed in this book including grief, depression and loss. I really liked the message that it is okay not to be okay. However, this is balanced beautifully with themes of love, friendship and support from friends, family and community making for a really uplifting read.

With this book, Lisa Hobman has gone straight onto my list of must-read authors! I really loved this gorgeous book and will definitely be keen to read more from this author.

I love Lisa Hobman's books, as a Scot living in wales they remind me of my beautiful homeland, I find her books well written and her characters are likeable. What I particularly liked with this book was the way the subject of mental health was addressed especially in terms of the grieving process , I would reccomend this uplifting book wholeheartedly

This book was just a perfect escape from reality. It was a cute romantic book.
This was a sunshine in the pages.
Really enjoyed this one, so thanks to Netgalley for this ArC.

4 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

The thing I loved about this book was the setting, The Island of Skye, which when reading, sounded so breathtakingly beautiful.

The island was described so well that it felt like I was there.

The people that Juliette spent her summer with, felt so welcoming, honest and warm hearted.

What looked like a romantic story, turned into a heartbreaking story.

But the characters made it enjoyable with their laughs and one liners. There was a lot going on which kept you interested in the story.

Beautiful story, I absolutely loved the setting and Skye is definitely on my bucket list of places to visit now! My heart went out to the central character, Jules, and I loved following her journey through her grief to finally building herself a life where she could be happy. The supporting characters were all lovely, just all in all a really fabulous book and a slice of sunshine in the current rather gloomy times.

😢The fine art of overcoming grief: touching, great setting🌅

4-4.5🌟 stars
This novel had a heap of positive qualities, including:

- The setting in a small coastal village on the scenic Scottish Isle of Skye;

- A community of interesting locals;

- Two poignant love stories for the female lead character;

- An endearing boy and his "fetching" dog; and

- A story of overcoming depression and grief to embrace life with a bit of mystical portent thrown in.

Juliette's reminiscences about her life with her deceased husband Laurie were amazingly touching and bittersweet. Author Lisa Hobman really did a fantastic job evoking the joy and heartache attached to Juliette's first love, its tragic end and its continued presence in her thoughts and feelings.

Reid, the handsome, artistic single dad who resists Juliette from their first contact, is a bit unusual for a male lead in a romance. He has major personality issues and seems somewhat rudderless and clueless about things going on around him. Yes, he has suffered betrayal and fears the loss of his beloved son but those are not sufficient reasons for his blinders, especially regarding long-time friend Leanna's tricks and attitude.

Although their romance has its share of special moments, I just wish Juliette's relationship with Reid had not focused so much on amateur counseling. It bogged the story down and brought me down a bit, quite frankly. And I thought the author missed out on an excellent opportunity to have Juliette explore more of this incredibly beautiful island's sights during her three-month stay.

Overall, this was a moving and worthwhile read and the author's writing style was good, evocative of feeling, the village life and Scottish traditions.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. The setting on the isle of Skye is amazing as is gives the reader the perfect escape. The main characters have loads of chemistry and the minor characters are loving and supportive. A must read feel good story.

Oh my! It's 3:15am and I just had to stay up to finish Dreaming Under An Island Skye! I was gripped all the way through and got so immersed in it, I sobbed. I felt so connected with Reid.... I'm divorced from my first husband so to read "he had made the most selfless decision any parent could make" struck a chord with me! I also agreed with the statement Juliette thought "you're never alone with a book", that's so very true. Plus I now want to visit Skye! Hope to read more of Lisa Hobman in the future.

When I read the synopsis for this book I knew it was one that I definitely wanted to read. I wanted a book that would whisk me away and give me a good story with a sense of place. This book definitely did that!

This is the first time I have read anything by this author and I absolutely fell in love with her descriptions of Skye. It is a place that is on my list of places to visit one day. Her descriptions are gorgeous not just of the island but also of the community that she has created, warming, welcoming and one that sounds idyllic, well for the most part. As with any community, there is always the odd soul who likes to put a dampener on things.

Juliette finally realises that she needs a break from her life and those around her. She has been going through the motions of living after the death of her husband and while people have been supported she feels the time is right to take time out for something different. Skye is very different from her life in the Cotswold's where she is a librarian.

A few months will give her a chance to be herself, to be in a place where no one knows that she is still grieving and where people feel lost for words when they meet her. She makes arrangements to visit and it not just a random visit as she does have family connections to the island from years ago.

It is often mentioned that when you have been at your lowest, you are more likely to see the signs of it in others. This is the case for Juliette when she actually looks at Reid for the first time. Well, I say the first time, but it wasn't. They didn't exactly hit it off the first time! But she can recognise the signs of someone who is struggling and so as is her nature she tries to reach out to him.

A story of friendship and understanding, as well as misunderstanding, follows. A story of hard choices and heartbreak gives a wonderful story to escape into. The characters that the author has created sound, on the whole, to be a wonderful lot and I could see myself really enjoying the odd night at the pub with them!

This is such a wonderful book that delivered so many good things and also had such a wonderful sense of understanding to it. Dealing with loneliness, guilt, apprehension and loss and yet at the same time having a sense of wanting to move forward. Given what could have been a hard storyline for a reader, the author has taken it in a more positive way making it an uplifting read. I adored this book and if you love your contemporary romance then this one should be right up your street. It is one I would definitely recommend.

After Jules husband, Laurie, passes away far too young she needs a break from her daily routine. She heads to the Isle of Skye, her mother’s birthplace for a sabbatical. Here she takes over running the towns lifeboat house museum and lives in the house attached.
Jules is welcomed by most of the locals and soon fits in to the way of life there, making new friends and memories.
A real feel good read. I love how Lisa Hobman describes Skye, it’s not somewhere I’ve been but I fell in love with it after such descriptive writing.
The storyline is good and the characters are well developed and all relevant to the story. Jules being such a young widow is heartbreaking and the book really does this theme justice, especially the conflicting emotions that go with this. Whilst the ending is generally what you’d expect it made me smile. You just can’t beat a happy ending!

What an insight into loss & how it affects us all so differently. Juliette's husband has died two years peviously & she feels she needs a sabatical & a change of scene. Her brother suggests a working holiday & that's where the book opens up & takes her to Skye. I've read all of Lisa Holborns books & this story is as good, if not better than her others. Enjoy the stay in Skye.

Reading this book made me want to pack a suitcase and travel to Skye! An important focus of this book is placed on mental health and dealing with grief, loss and depression. Some great characters in this book, including a very loathsome Leanna. A great read!

Thanks NetGalley, author Lisa Hobman, and Boldwood Books for giving me a free E-book Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.5 stars
This was a beautiful story of healing, family, and a second chance at finding love. I loved these characters and the setting of the story. The village life seems to be the place Juliette is looking for in order to have a fresh start from the pain and loss of her husband. I really appreciated how well the author was able to bring Juliette and Reid together. Their meet cute was such a great way to start these characters on their journey of healing from their losses. Chewy was the star of this book. I have a soft spot for dogs and he was so sweet! The story was somewhat predictable but no less enjoyable. Overall, this is a must read for those who love a sweet story! Author Lisa Hobman's books will be on my TRB list!

I loved the setting of this book, The Island of Skye sounds breathtakingly beautiful and a place I could picture easily in my mind. The author did a lovely job of describing the island without being long winded. Just enough description to allow me to fill in the dotted lines. The residents of the village Juliette spent her summer in were welcoming, honest and warm hearted. Reading this book made me want to go and visit.

The book started with a laugh out loud moment and I thought it would be a romantic comedy but I quickly learned it was a heartbreaking story. I liked the idea of the storyline the author created but I found there was a bit too much sadness to it. If it wasn’t for the supporting characters I didn’t think I would have enjoyed it as much. They added a few laughs and lightened the book up.

Overall it was a good romance with some wonderful moments. I thank NetGalley and Boldwood books for the chance to read this book

So many good things in this book ! First the setting. I loved being in Skye for the hours it took to read this book. The pub, the café, the museum, the beach... everything was charming and exactly what I dream of visiting one day.
I also loved Jules and Evin. They were great characters. Reid was a little too beta and clueless for my taste but well... I loved the romance still.
Some things were not as well done. I hated Leanna and Donny and Kate. They were so evil it was impossible to take them seriously. Those 3 came right from a soap opera bringing way too much drama with them.
All in all a nice book with some unfortunate annoying parts.

I absolutely loved this book and fell in love with the wonderful village of Glentorrin on the Isle of Skye as Juliette did.

Following the death of her beloved husband, Jules decides to take some time away from her job at a university library and travel to the Isle of Skye, where her mother had grown up but left many years ago.

Jules arrives and is immediately drawn into the lovely community and starts work at the Lifeboat House Museum which she absolutely loves.

Juliette is a lovely character and you are with her every step of the way as she starts to leave the guilt behind and living her life again following instructions her husband had left her before she passed away.

The inhabitants of the lovely village and brilliant additions to the story along with some of the not so nice characters! For me, a story isn't a story unless there is a dog - Chewie!

A beautiful story that had the perfect ending. Wonderful!

This book's strength lies in its setting - the description of the scenery. I've had the privilege of going to the Isle of Skye, so it was a pleasure to be transported back there. I did like Jules, the main character. I enjoyed accompanying her on both a physical and emotional journey. And I adored Evin and Chewy. But. Some of the characters were like pantomime villains. There was nothing redeeming about them and I thought that was unrealistic. And as for Reid, I didn't think he made a convincing male lead. I'm glad the author tackled the issue of depression, but Reid starting off morose and rude, was off-putting. Even when he began opening up I couldn't take to him. A good read, but with some tweaks it could have been even better. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book grabbed my attention from page one. I simply inhaled this beautiful story and found myself laughing as well as crying as the story unfolded. Reviewing will be hard because I want to shout about it, but I don’t want to give any spoilers.
Juliette is a gentle soul who wants to escape from the rut that she’s fallen into following the untimely passing of her husband, her soul mate. The romance in their first real meeting is the stuff of fairy tales; it’s easy to understand how devastated she must be.
Reid is initially abrasive, but as the story goes on, he is clearly a more complex character who is carrying a world of woes on his shoulders. His son Evin, along with the lovable Hungarian Viszla, Chewie, bring a light relief to his woe filled life.
There is a wealth in the supporting characters as Juliette navigates through her heartache. Special mentions must go to Morag and Caitlin, the kind of women that offer unreserved support with no strings attached. I struggled to hold back the tears that formed when Hamish talked of his wife; they shared such a deep and everlasting love story.
I do see reading as an escape from day to day life, the Isle of Skye provided a beautiful setting for this story and I hope that this review will encourage you to read this gorgeous book.

I really wanted to love this book. I love reading about Scotland and especially about Isle of Skye. The plot was good - main character took on a temp position at a small town museum and got to know the villagers and became one of them. I just couldn't like the hero - he was spineless, too emotional, weak, and there really wasn't much to love about his constant mood swings. Just not at all how I imagine Scots to be so I was disappointed. Rewrite his character and this would become a 5 star book.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF. I really tried to like this book but put it down about a third of the way through. The overall idea, plot and cast of characters were all great but I found the execution to be lacking. The writing seemed a bit too mechanical and the dialogue stilted.