If you like Outlander you’ll definitely enjoy this! I felt like the story did drag out a bit but overall a cute Christmas read.

Dnf at 25%. I don't know what I expected of this book, but time travel was not apart of it. It was moving very fast paced for me and not something I was able to wrap my head around

As a huge Brigadoon fan, I figured this would be right up my alley. It was a really cool idea, but the characters were honestly a little too cutesy for me. Also the instalove was a bit too insta for me. I think a lot of other readers will enjoy this one, but it wasn’t for me.

I'm a big fan of cheese, but not of this variety. When I say I wanted to DNF this, I wanted to DNF it with everything in me. However, I made myself keep reading simply so I could write this review.

My two biggest issues with this book were the pacing and the insta-love between the FMC, Maren, and the dashing Scot who resides in a time traveling Scottish castle, Duncan.

As a fantasy reader, I can overlook the absurdity of a time traveling Scottish castle full of people who think it's the mid-1600s. I can even overlook the FMC and her friend going to Scotland, getting stuck, and being rescued by inhabitants of said time traveling Scottish castle. But what I cannot overlook is the fact that Maren immediately fell in love with the leader of this time traveling group of Scots. Nothing about that was believable and it just seemed very silly.

In turn, I think that's where the pacing was incredibly off. While a novella is going to feel more rushed than a full length novel, this story just didn't fit within the parameters of a novella. Right off the back falling in love with a man you just met who lives thinking it's still the 17th Century? Just no. It left me shaking my head and wanting to finish this as quickly as possible.

This novella was not for me and I wouldn't recommend it, simply because this isn't the good kind of cheese that I would hope to find in a romance read.

My feelings on this book went back and forth as I was reading it.
It's an interesting and fun premise and relied VERY heavily on insta-love as a trope. Without insta-love, the story would not be possible.
And I'm just not a big fan of insta-love for strangers. It just doesn't make sense to me. There can be insta-lust, but love without even having a conversation? No.

The book felt very Outlander inspired, given the setting in Scotland and the time traveling, though it definition has its own spin on it.

Overall, it was fine. A lovely Christmas book.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a really cute, festive rom com set in Scotland which I felt added to the festive feel. Perfect for people who want a hug in a book with not too much spice.

One of my favorite old Hollywood musicals is Brigadoon, so it’s no surprise that I really enjoyed this adaptation set at Christmas. Unlike the film, in which the quaint Scottish village appears out of the mist once every hundred years, this book’s Highglen appears during a week-long snowstorm at infrequent intervals in response to an unsuspecting visitor in need of some Christmas spirit. Four hundred years in the real world is a mere 7 years in Highglen, where it’s still 1647.

Maren and her friend Penny have left America in search of her uncle who disappeared about 30 years prior while on a research trip. She reluctantly leaves behind her mother, who has cancer, to fulfill her dying wish of finding her long lost brother. So imagine Maren’s surprise when, after her rental car breaks down, she’s rescued by a handsome Scottish laird, Duncan Campbell. It’s love at first sight, with a vague sense that they’ve met before, but can they ever have a future if she’s has to return to be with her mom and he has to remain with his large family and the villagers who depend on him? Is there a chance for a Christmas miracle?

Unlike most time travel books, this one doesn’t worry about changing the future by incorporating modern conveniences into 17th-century Scotland because the Campbells are able to benefit from the knowledge and resources shared by their visitors, whether it’s the culinary skills of a chef who appeared in the 1800s or Maren’s veterinary skills. Duncan has six sisters, and there’s definitely something in the air when it comes to them finding love with hapless visitors, including Maren’s Uncle Bobby.

If you’re looking for a quick read full of Christmas spirit and a hunky, poetic, Scottish book boyfriend, this one fits the bill. It’s a love at first sight, sweet, clean romance with unchallenging dialogue, low angst, and the perfect chosen family.


I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Montlake through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Cute short read. I wasn't blown away by it but it was light and breezy. I have not read anything by Sarah WIlson before but I will be checking out others.

Thanks Netgalley for the arc.

Love this story! It combines so many of my favorite things. It's deliciously sweet and swoony at the same time. Can we all just go to Scotland, fall in love and live happily ever after? Adding to my list of faves.

I was so excited to read this book I accidentally downloaded it 12 times. Clearly patience is an area I need to work on, but I was just so excited! Let me tell you this book, just like so many of Sariah's other books did not disappoint. This story reminds me of a Brigadoon story, which I love. There are so many great characters, and I juat couldnt wait to see how it all turned out. I only wish it were longer! I'm really hoping we get more books in this series!

Oh my word!

I have previously enjoyed Wilson's work but this...this is a slice of heaven in a novella!

Almost Like Being In Love is a beautiful story that shares the blessings and wonder of Christmas time. Don't worry though, you will fall just as hard any time of year reading this beautiful story. Love, loss, and absolutely joy will warm your heart even in a winter storm.

Tears will fall. Hearts will break. But I ken you'll appreciate every bit as you fall in intsalove with Highglen and form a lasting attachment to it's people.

This is such a charming short story, but I wish it was a much longer. Maybe with more chapters or details, would be an easy 4-5 stars. The story follows Maren, who got stranded in the Scottish Highlands with her friend Penny during a snowstorm. Maren met Duncan, who is the leader of the Campbell clan and they both fall instantly in love, as if they were soul mates, but Maren needed to go home to her mother, and Duncan couldn't leave because of his responsibilities. What are they going to do?!

I wish there was more background about this Christmas miracle about this magical kingdom. The instant connection was a bit far-fetched, so you'll have to read with an open mind... think magical mystery fairytale stories. I appreciated learning more about the Scottish traditions, however, sometimes I got a bit lost in the dialogue as some Gaelic (?) words were used by Duncan and some characters. I also liked that this book was clean, with no explicit scenes, which might be safe for me to recommend to my niece. I LOVED how the ending turned out.

I absolutely adored The Chemistry of Love and The Seat Filler, so I was very excited and super grateful to receive this ARC copy from NetGalley. This novella, however, did not quite hit the mark for me. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley!

A very romantic and magical novella!

Maren and her friend Penny are visiting the Scottish Highlands, trying to find out what happened to Maren's uncle, her Mum's brother. Maren's mother is very ill, with not long to live, and always wanted to know what happened to her brother who visited Scotland and disappeared years ago.

During their visit they get caught in a snowstorm, are rescued, and end up in a castle where everyone is from 1647! It turns out the castle only appears every so often, any time between 5 years and 50 years, depending on circumstances, and it's not the only time they've welcomed people from another era, as Maren's uncle is also there and has never left!

It's all very lighthearted, but with a really lovely feeling throughout the book. There's instant love a lot of times, especially with Maren and Duncan, the laird of the castle. But their time there is limited, as the window to return to the present time is on a certain day. Will they return to the present time, or won't they?

A very enjoyable read, with a lovely ending!

This book had a very Brigadoon flavor to it. Maren Kelly and her best friend Penny go to Scotland looking for clues about Maren’s uncle who disappeared 25 years ago. Lost in a snowstorm they find themselves in a 17th century castle with a charming Laird, Duncan Campbell.

With all of the rest of the magic floating around this story, it’s no surprise that Maren and Duncan fall in love at first sight. They have a fated to be together vibe going on. I wished for more development before insta-love, but they were adorable together. I loved the old Scottish traditions, the whole Campbell family, and the village that comes in and out of time.

This book was a delightful winter escape! It has me wanting to go and watch a musical now.

This is a flirty, fun Christmas novella. Brigadoon meets Outlander. The suspense centers around the decision the FMC must make: go back to her time or stay with the Laird (and who knows if she will be able to find him again in the future)? The characters are all sweet and funny. And the story is well-paced. I recommend this for anyone looking for a good Christmas read.

What an original approach to the time-travel romance! Sariah Wilson snips that secret in the bud right away by having the Christmas town do the traveling rather than our protagonist, and that choice makes this novella stick out from the rest.

On top of that, it a beautiful story of unlikely romance and homemaking with strangers during one of the hardest Christmases our protagonist has seen in many years. With her mom dying of cancer and unable to take their Scotland trip, Maren is making the trip in her stead. There's a side-mystery she and her travel-companion hope to get some answers to, but in both cases, the magical Christmas village appeared to just the people who needed it most.

Despite being a novella, this adorable story had me rolling backwards and kicking my feet in the air. It is adorable! The romance is steamy (why it is not appropriate for my high schoolers, but I'd recommend it to adults), the vibes are Christmasy and cozy, and it will leave you believing in magic like you never have before.

For the potential reader:
- first-person narration
- Christmas magic
- Christmas history
- medieval historical fiction
- magic & time-travel
- family & love
NOTE: Despite the romance being a bit too steamy to be appropriate in a classroom, it's not overly graphic and certainly not wild enough to make it to my bookshop's BookTok table. The passion is more emotional than that. That said, skipping it would be difficult as these moments of intense sexual attraction are woven in throughout the story.

An adorable Christmas novella that reminded me so much of Outlander. I really liked the characters but since it was a novella, it moved very quickly for my liking. I loved the magic of a disappearing village set in a different century. This was a perfect pallet cleanser and definitely made me ready for more Christmas romances.

This is an incredibly cute Christmas novella! Given it is short and chritmasy I was expecting a light story so I was pleasantly surprised by the emotional depth. While I am not sure I believe in love at first sight it worked for me in this story. I enjoyed Maren and Duncan’s connection and felt like it was deep even though it happened quickly. I loved how this book celebrated all kinds of love not just romantic love. Once I picked this one up I couldn’t put it down! A must add to your holiday season TBR!

📚Book 258 of 2023📚

3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a cute and sweet Christmas novella! If you follow my reviews you know how much I LOVE time travel stories. I also have a secret love of love in the highlands. This novella gave me mild Outlander vibes. Unfortunately I’m not a fan of insta love.. call my cynical but I don’t believe in love at first sight.

To quote 10 Things I Hate About You… “I know you can be over whelmed, and you can be under whelmed… but can you ever just be whelmed?”

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Publication Date: 11/14/23

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

Really cute Christmas novella for fans of Outlander. Some parts are kind of cheesy and the writing was slightly juvenile in places, but for the most part I didn’t mind the writing. I thought overall it was a really sweet story!