I really enjoyed this sweet story which was set mainly on the Isle of Skye. Never having been there I enjoyed the descriptions of the people, the weather and the pub with it’s roaring fires and the Highland Games. Although this story was sad to begin with as I got through it it, lightened up and had a lovely ending. Although the story was a little predictable I still enjoyed it which I think sometimes we all need this type of book to read now and again. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to go to Skye. My Husband and I had hoped to go this year but with what is happening in the world that doesn't seem possible at the moment. So when I saw this book and the lovely cover I thought it would be to my liking, and it's the closest I will get for the moment. After finishing the book, I have to say I was not disappointed, and it has made me want to visit this amazing part of the world even more.

The book follows Julliette, still reeling from the death of her Husband a couple of years before, she needs to get away and decides to take a sabbatical, whilst the university she usually works for is closed for the term holidays. She sees an advert for a local Museum Keeper in Skye and feels a pull immediately as it is in the same remote place her mother was born. With nothing to loose she heads to the Island for three months and ends up on a journey of self discovery, learns how to heal a broken heart and makes lots of great friendships in the process. Whilst there, she meets single Dad and local business man Reid and another close friendship blooms, not just between them but with his son Evin and mischievous dog Chewie.

A lovely, moving, sometimes very funny story especially the parts involving Chewie, about learning to heal and love again. It is the first time I have read anything by the author but it won't be the last.

Thank you to Netgalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

My rating scale
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Absolutely loved it! Gave me a warm fuzzy feeling or made me cry. And took me on an emotional rollercoaster.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Really liked it. Will read more by the author and other books in the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - It was just okay, didn’t move me, but don’t feel like I wasted me time reading it either.
⭐️⭐️ - Didn’t like this book and probably won’t read other in the series.
⭐️ - I did not care for this book at all and feel like I wasted my time reading it

Everyone deserves a second chance at love.

Dreaming Under an Island Skye is an inspirational story about facing loss and loving again.

Juliette met the man of her dreams and literally 'fell' in love with him. Laurie was a wonderful man, a loving husband, but their plans were cut short, their dreams unfulfilled.

After a couple of years at rock bottom, Juliette was finally starting to feel herself again, thanks to family, friends, and professional help.

Tired of all the cuddling and pitying her widowhood inspired, she decided to take a sabbatical from work and spend summer at the island of Skye. The place was special since it was where her mother was born.

Embraced by the local community and in love with the Scottish Highlands, Juliette felt alive and happy again after so many years of sorrow and numbness.

The only conflict she experienced was with Reid, a divorced local artist that seemed to have disliked her on the spot. In time, Juliette learned the reasons why Reid was so angry and grumpy and felt connected and compelled to reach out and offer friendship.

What starts as a desire to help turns into something more, but both were broken and too scared to let it happen.

Juliette and Reid's relationship was down-to-Earth, and they fell in love for the right reasons: compatibility of mind and soul. Her friendship with his son was simply adorable, and I enjoyed the strong sense of family and community all through the book.

Dreaming Under an Island Skye is a lovely escapist read with beautiful scenarios, a lovely community, a little grief, and a lot of love and friendship.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*This review will be posted on https://lureviewsbooks.com on 03/01/2021 as part of the book's blog tour*

Just what we need at the moment – a feel-good story with some depth to it.
Two years after losing her husband, Jules still hasn’t grieved, and she certainly can’t move on from the happy ever after she had and lost. She decides she needs a change – albeit temporary, to get away from the people who see her as the grieving widow and look at her with sadness in their eyes.
It is time for her to embark on a adventure to the place where her grandparents lived and her mother was born… but she never went: The beautiful Island of Skye.
The story is based at the heart of a little village with quirky, loving characters and everything of a Scottish village, including kilts, Highland Games and dances. This is where Jules goes to start fresh and it is the perfect place. She is accepted by (most) of the locals and her summer away looks like it will be great.
It’s heart-warming, sweet and funny.

I loved this book and wanted to make my own escape to the Isle of Skye! Tackles some difficult issues - bereavement, depression, divorce, children of divorce but in a way that carries you along wanting the characters to find their happiness. Believable characters especially the hero, Reid and the heroine, Juliette. Evin and Chewie the dog wormed their way into my heart. A lovely escapist read.

2 1/2 elevated to 3.

The setting is very well done, very picturesque, and it made me want to visit Skye. I liked reading about the village and all the people. The secondary characters added a lot to the story.

The rest of the story read a bit too long and at times too much like a therapy session. Reid and Juliette have a lot of baggage, and while that's not a bad thing, I didn't feel connected to them.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

This is my first book by Lisa Hobman but certainly won't be my last ! I couldn't put it down and read it in 2 days.
Juliette lost her husband and after struggling for a few years to get over his death sets of to visit the village where her mum used to live. Without spoiling the story she falls in love with the village and after meeting a grumpy but handsome resident eventually falls for him too.
The story pulled me in and I could actually picture where they were and wished I visit too !

This. A beautiful, well written story. Juliette loses her adored husband far too early and eventually moves to Skye where she gets involved in the community and starts to live a new life. Her romance with Reid is slow and not at all easy. Thee are numerous other characters and 5e author weaves them into a totally wonderful and lovely story. Very satisfying and a perfect read for these troubled times!

I have read a few other Lisa Hobman novels and this is definitely one of my favorites. I loved that it tackles mental health in a way that takes away the stigma of therapy and shows how seeking help can really change your life. I really liked Juliette as a main character - she got to be strong and stand up for herself, but also got to have moments of insecurity and self-doubt. And who wouldn't like a woman who was willing to jump in freezing waters to save a dog and then be heartbroken for a little boy she barely knew because she thought she had failed him? Evin was definitely my second favorite character in the book, he was the perfect little kid character - funny and sweet and without the jadedness of the adults around him. I enjoyed seeing the change in Reid as he learned to accept help and move on with his life - which made me so upset with him when he was willing to just give up Evin rather than fight for him. His ex was horrible which made you wonder how she was able to hide that long enough for Reid to have fallen in love with and married her. I also could have done without the Reid's brother's betrayal - the ex was bad enough without having done that as well.

A thought provoking romance. Both of the main characters in this book have been badly hurt in the past and have suffered from depression as a result. I have never suffered from such an illness but Lisa Hoban clearly has knowledge of such a thing. Set on the glorious island of Skye, this book describes the friendship then romance of our hero and heroine, outlining their trials and tribulations as they cope with the past in an insightful and gentle way. No preaching, but the reader is given an understanding of some of the mental issues people have to work through. Having said that, this is a most enjoyable book that I would recommend any fan of the romance genre.

A delightful read. This really was a joy to devour.

The story delves into many facets of real life, so you would think joy would be the wrong word but it's not, the characters dive off the pages and into your heart and the setting sounds stunning.

Juliette is a woman that people take to, she would talk to anyone, a kind natured person who has had a heartbreaking spanner thrown in her life plan.

This is a slow burn romance but is also about self discovery. Enter Reid.

Reid, I knew the grumpy man was going to be of interest and I was so excited when they properly met. He's a man going through his own journey and how I loved him, and wanted to hug him.

All in all this book was a perfect read for me, and my eyes misted up a couple of times along the way.

5 sparkly stars

Pack your suitcase – you’re heading off to the Isle of Skye with Lisa Hobman’s ‘Dreaming Under An Island Skye.’ To be published February 23, 2021, it will have you dreaming of travel and all the possibilities a beautiful Spring brings after a Fall/Winter of lockdown.

With her heart aching at the loss of her husband, Juliette Fairhurst leaves the Cotswolds and her job as a librarian and heads to the Isle of Skye for a three-month break. Having lost the love of her life two years ago, Juliette, 34, doesn’t believe she’ll ever get another chance at love. Believing that a new hairstyle, a new location and a new Juliette will change things, she eagerly looks forward to reinventing herself and headsoff to her mother’s birthplace. Despite not getting her dream job, temporary, but with accommodation, she books a week at a bed and breakfast in Glentorrin village. Before long she is re-offered the job, moves into Lifeboat Cottage and makes friends with a little boy, Evin, and his dog. As with any ‘too good to be true’ scenario, Juliette discovers that the little boy’s single father is none other than Grump-erse-MacKinnon and it appears that neither he, nor the coffee shop manager, want Juliette to put down any roots. Realizing she’s got her work cut out for her, Juliette does what she knows best – she seeks out the downtrodden and makes a soulful effort to listen to them.

I loved Lisa Hobman’s sense of humour. Juliette is alone and stuck on top of a shelving unit at the back of the library. When she realizes that the English professor is on his way to rescue her, she prays “that her footless tights were not the ones with the hole under the left buttock that she’d meant to throw out. If they were, the Professor was getting an eyeful.” In addition to a plot that makes readers giggle, Hobman has a perfect backdrop for her protagonist to seek solace, a remote island in the Scottish Hebrides. I loved reading about the cast of endearing island residents and the sense of community. Being an island community, there’s lots of gossip and history between the residents. Hobman accurately portrays the spectrum of welcoming arms to bitchy gossip that any newcomer would face as they attempt to break through the insulating barrier. Central to the theme is romance and Hobman’s story examines the guilt and hesitation between two lonely people who want to be loved and give love but have given up due to fear. I hope to hear more about this charming community as this story begs for a sequel!

Thanks to Lisa Hobman, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for gifting me this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.