I have read a couple of Sariah Wilson’s books and loved them, they are always light and cute romances. This was an instalove novella so I felt like everything happened too fast. I enjoyed reading it but maybe if it would have been a full book and not a novella, the story would have made more sense and we would have fallen in love with the characters and connected with them better. The way they just fell in love was too rushed, the ending felt rushed, but it is a novella so I should have expected that.

If you like novellas and their pace you will enjoy this story!

****Spoilers****

I just wanted to read more about her time back with her mom, about Penny and her kids, and how she felt when she was away, to make the return more emotional for the reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for allowing me to read this advance copy!

2.5

Okay, so the idea of this is super cute: a Scottish village appearing around Christmas to those who need joy. I also don't even mind love at first sight stories that much if I read them once in a blue moon. BUT the instalove was just too much. This is a very short story and its a clean romance, so because of the instalove and short page count - there was absolutely no tension for these characters to explore. Duncan said he dreamed about Maren, but it was never explored as to why. I think the author could have played with this a bit more to make the story more well rounded and to help the reader really care about the characters even though we are only with them for a short amount of time.

Such a great book! Time travel + scottish laird = the best combo ever! After reading this book, I just got this gut feeling that I should make a trip to Scotland. I have always like to read scottish story, so it would be nice to learn more from it properly. I would love to read more from you!

Spoiler: I had so much fun reading this.

Okay, let me start off by saying I am not a fan of insta-love. It just doesn't hit the spot for me, and it feels very unrealistic. However, with this being a very short novella, I still wanted to give it a go.
Lost in the Scottish highlands during a snow storm, Maren finds herself transported through time to a castle stuck in the year 1647. The setting itself was very cute, there is nothing more dreamy than spending the winter holidays at a castle.
There, Maren meets the owner, Duncan. He is a true romantic, and after basically one conversation, they are ready to get married.
Ignoring how quickly they fall in love, their relationship is very cute, and they obviously understand each other on a deeper level. I appreciated the fact that the book was clean, with kisses only. It has some innuendos and intimate moments, but anything more would have felt forced for the still puritan view on relationships at that time.
I did not really understand the time jumps or how the magic works, but that was not the point of the story, and that was totally fine.
Overall, I had a fun time with it, and it reads very easily. I liked the Scottish elements, dialogue and traditions.

I really truly love Sariah Wilson and her books, but this one was so beyond the realm of believable love-at-first-sight that I had a very hard time buying into Maren and Duncan's story. It was still a cute read but just fell flat for me.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for my complimentary e-arc of this book. All opinions here are my own.

I love time travel romances which is exactly what this book is. Maren was such a full and wonderful character and so was Duncan. My favorite character was Ainsley since I can relate to her. The story
was the perfect length for someone who does not want to leave the cozy atmosphere the book sets. Also the ending is so cute!

3.5 stars. A novella about finding love through time travel. Clearly a Scottish lord is dreamy and this story connects all the unbelievable together in the spirit of Christmas magic. Suspend your reality and enjoy this!

It gives Lynn Kurland vibes and that’s a good thing. I think it will be a series? Curious how a full fleshed novel will be because this author is great.

This magical little book had me experiencing so many emotions, I didn't know whether I needed the tissue to dry tears, or water to hydrate from laughing. Seriously, this was such a cute book. Set in Scotland in a magical town, it was the perfect little holiday book.

With such a cute cover and being a Christmas romance read, I knew it would be a sweet, cute story. But this one was just too over the top for me. It was like a fever dream - stumbling into a disappearing Christmas Village where everyone walks in and finds insta-true love.

I liked the ways the MC was able to help the village. She had unique skills. The ending was satisfying but the whole in-between - their courting and meeting family and celebrations. Cute but just too much - too sweet, to cute. If you need a feel-good love story with a hot Scottish love interest, then this just might be for you. It just wasn't for me.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

straight up, this is insta-love which is admittedly not my jam, but this story just hit at the right time. i think the magical realism and all the talk of “feeling like i’ve been here before”, “i feel like i’ve known you for a lifetime already”, and kismet is what got me. is this the perfect book? no, but it hit me in all the feels. if you’re looking for a low drama, wintery escape into the scottish highlands with a heavy dose of romance, this may be for you! can definitely be read in one sitting!

thanks to montlake for an advanced copy. my thoughts are my own.

Such a lovely Christmassy Novella with a little bit of magical time travel, what's not to love?

Another great read from Sariah Wilson!

I'm a fan of Sariah Wilson and was super excited to read this one. However, I had no idea that it was a novella so the story felt a bit rushed and the insta-love threw me off a bit. I also was unprepared for the time travel element. Sometimes I love this in books and sometimes it's just ok for me. This one I didn't love quite so much. However, when I got past the insta-love & the magic, I really did enjoy the romance.

3.5 stars

First of all I would like to thank the publishers for such a cosy read .

We all know I love a romcom read and even better a winter read cosy up candles on hot chocolate perfect , I loved the vibes to the story based in Scotland snow , time travel little bit of outlander perfect for me as Im huge fan of the show. I read this book pretty quick being a novella perfect .

I thought it was so magical and I loved all the twists in the book was so much fun .

The main charaters I thought was wonderful the two love interests
Moren and Duncan I thought was brilliant the chemistry was perfect ,I loved the quirkiness to them both .


Sarah writing is just so perfect it flowed so well she never left you feeling bored she kept you guessing which I very much enjoyed .

So if your a big romcom fan who loves time travel romance this is for you .

I'm giving this book a very cosy 5 stars ⭐

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The parallels between this book and Outlander-esque tropes made it a fun read, because I love a good Scottish Highland themed back-in-time romance.

Maren, the main character of the story travels to Scotland with her friend Penny, fulfilling her dying mother’s wish that she journey to the country even though her mother can’t make the trip with her. While stranded in a snowstorm, they find they’ve actually fallen back in time to the seventeenth century. Maren swiftly falls for their rescuer in this cozy, closed-door, winter-y romance.

I enjoyed the simple plot of the story and it was a cozy way to pull myself out of a book hangover. I am not typically a fan of love-at first site, it often feels rushed and silly to me, but obviously with a novella you only have so many pages to work with. Also, I could have done with more spice, but that’s just my preference. I definitely recommend for anyone looking for a quick, low-stakes read.

Almost Like Being in Love is the newest Sariah Wilson romance novel. I will admit this is not my favorite book she has written but it is a good, quick romance read that is a perfect palette cleanser from those deep, tormented romances.
The book is predictable but in a good way that you know will give you a happy ending. You do really feel the struggle of the main character and the chose she has between her true love and her mother. The relationship between the main character and her best friend was very relatable and how the book ended with their relationship was absolute perfection.
The storyline is romance with some fantasy, so if you are not into that, this is not the book for you. However, if what you are looking for is a cute, romantic novel with some time traveling sprinkled in there, this is the perfect book for you!

3.5 rounded up. A cute holiday novella, but it felt like there was too much being shoved into a short book.

You can expect: time travel, Outlander vibes, Christmas celebrations, Scotland, 17th century Scottish MMC, 21st century FMC, veterinarian FMC, insta love, closed door.

Oh, I liked this one. Yes, I am truly into my Christmas reading, and this one grabbed my attention. It helps it was a novella, so fairly short, and one that felt a bit different to some of the other Christmas books I have lined up for this year. Maren Kelly heads to Scotland from Ohio, looking for her uncle who disappeared in the area. But what she and her friend Penny don’t expect to find is a castle, a Scottish chief, and a place trapped in 1647.

There were some really minor things I wasn’t fussed on – it’s almost to be expected in such a short novella, but the way Maren and Duncan fall in love feels super quick, even within the constraints of this format. Once Maren and her friend stumble on Highglen, and Maren has a better idea of when they are, she reflects on the fact her uncle disappeared searching for “a village stuck in time”. Yet it never crosses her mind that could be Highglen? And Penny, Maren’s best friend, felt a bit pointless at times – a bit too one-dimensional, really.

But, in general – I flew through this not because of the length, but because I was really enjoying it! It’s a book that’s completely easy to get lost in, and just enjoy spending some time in a strange Scottish castle that’s trapped in time, while the rest of the world moves ahead. It’s a cute book that does exactly what it sets out to do, warm your heart on a cold, winter’s night.

Thank you to Montlake for providing me a copy of this book via NetGalley – views remain my own!

So….I haven’t read or watched Highlander 🙈 ….but this book seriously makes me reconsider!!

I loved this swoony, cozy, and festive 'time traveling' story! It has a creative and different take on time travel (but I don't want to reveal too much). 

The story is filled with sweet family bonds and friendship, festive and old traditions, and sweet romance. I loved the descriptive scenes of the village and the family, I could definitely imagine how it all looked. 

The MCs are really adorable together! Although it's absolutely insta love, I do think it was done really well! Duncan is wonderful book boyfriend material; he is kind to his clan, a caring big brother, and head over heels for Maren. He's romantic and chivalrous. And he is not too shy to say and show how he feels.

Some words are written in the Scottish language, I needed to get used to it a little bit, but it made it more authentic and also created cute moments.

It is absolutely an adorable comfort read! It's not only fluffy, there are also some emotional moments that add depth to the story. I really loved it!

4.5/5 stars

This is a holiday novella full of romance and magical realism based on the musical Brigadoon.

This was such a cute read! Maren and her best friend are visiting Scotland. They end up in a snowstorm. And are rescued by a Scotsman (Duncan) from a different time.

I loved Duncan's family and village so much! This was such a quick fun read.

This book is mostly a feel good story. However there is a situation with Maren's mom at home that completely broke my heart. That made this a bit of an emotional read. But overall this novella really got me in the holiday mood!

I was excited to read Almost Like Being in Love. This book appealed to me for many reasons. I love a good Christmas Romance, I've always loved the movie Brigadoon, and I love any book or movie that has to do with Time Travel.

Maren and her friend Penny get lost in the Scottish Highlands in a bad winter storm. What happens next is absolutely magical. It's at this point in the story that you need to enjoy the story for what it is. They are found by the Campbell family who take them to their castle, Highglen. Soon Maren finds out that this village and its people are from the 17th century. She also finds out she is instantly attracted to Duncan Campbell and he to her. The problem is, that the village only appears in certain years. If Maren decides to leave, she may never get back to Duncan because they never know when people from the outside will be able to find the village.

This novella is full of sweet romance, has magic, and Insta-Love. Maren and Duncan feel as if they have found their soulmates. Since this is a novella which is shorter than a regular novel, things do happen more quickly romance-wise. I do love both Maren and Duncan and the Campbell family. Readers are swept up in the magic of 17th Century Scotland and its people just as Maren does in the book.

This fun little novella will make you smile, maybe cry a few tears, and help you believe in true love. If you want a short story that will sweep you away for an afternoon, Almost Like Being in Love is waiting to take you on a magical adventure into the Scottish Highlands.