In this story, we find Bailey starting afresh with a new commercial venture, a florist and seemingly, trying to keep as low a profile as possible. There is obviously more to her story than she lets the public see. From early one, we know who she really is and why she is living in the sleepy town of Heather Moore. Unfortunately for her, she is not the only person trying to hide themselves away and before long the charismatic journalist, Zach is asking all sorts of questions.

Bailey comes over as a determined character but she cannot help wanting to make sure that others' privacy is maintained. As her friendship with Zach develops, you realise that there is more to Zach than meets the eye. There is something about him that does not add up. There are some colourful characters living in Heather Moore and Bailey's own family seem assured and larger than life. You see Bailey's caring side in her reaction to her broken-hearted brother, not to mention the over-the-top Ezra. She also comes to appreciate what is important to her for the future. The Highlands provides a stunning setting, as usual and this is a heartwarming story with romance and a touch of humour.

In short: New starts

A Scottish Highland Hideaway by Julie Shackman

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

A brand new autumnal story of love, believing in yourself and starting over set in the Scottish Highlands. For Bailey McArthur, her family and job mean everything. She runs her own floristry shop and loves spending time in nature in the pretty town of Heather Moore, whilst desperately trying to forget about being jilted on her wedding day.

When journalist Zach Stern arrives in town asking questions about a famous actor, Bailey decides to throw him off the trail of the superstar hiding out in the Scottish Highlands.

But despite Bailey’s efforts to thwart Zach's investigation she finds herself falling for him. It’s just a shame she can’t be honest with him. But then, Bailey might not be the only one with a secret to hide…

My Opinion

I am really enjoying reading the Scottish Escapes series by Julie Shackman, and each book can be read as a standalone so it is never too late to start. I read this book in one sitting as it was just such a lovely book and the town of Heather Moore simply sounds delightful. With a fast pace and well-written characters this was a welcome escape. For me A Scottish Highland Hideaway was a great, heart-warming read. Set in Autumn and the run up to Christmas this is going to make for a great read as the weather starts to turn.

Rating 4/5

Hiding is a key theme in A Scottish Highland Hideaway, whichis set mainly in the Highland village of Heather Moore. Lady Anastasia McLaren Kerr is front and centre in the first pages as we learn that her fiancé has dumped her at the alter and swindled her out of a sizeable sum of money. As a celebrity florist and born into landed gentry, Anastasia has had to face humiliating press coverage in the aftermath of her wedding fiasco. Reinvent as Bailey McArthur and with her new shop, Flower Power, she is determined to make a success of her business. The arrival of heavily disguised award-winning actor Ezra King in her shop leads Bailey to helping him preserve his privacy in the face of local curiosity and the arrival of journalist Zach Stern, who is keep to write a story about Ezra. Zach is a bit of a conundrum; he works for a gossip magazine but he also presents as a principled and ethical man. Added to that, he is stunningly good looking and Bailey can’t help but feel a strong attraction to him. These three are the main characters in this story, though they are well supported by strong secondary characters, particularly Bailey’s brother Marcus. This story immersed me in the setting thanks to some beautiful imagery. Bailey’s magical Christmas floral creations sounded just stunning. I really enjoyed reading this book though I thought there was a tad too much introspection and a slightly unconvincing twist at the end.

A Scottish Highland Hideaway is a charming autumnal escape to the Scottish countryside following Bailey and Zach in a cute enemies-to-lovers story.

Bailey hides her famous identity and party-girl persona by relocating to a quaint little town to reinvent herself after the heartbreaking experience of being left at the altar. She isn't the only famous person hiding out in the area, prompting Zach, the inquisitive journalist to set up camp and ferret out everyone's secrets.

What follows is romantic comedy gold as Bailey and her brother try to put Zach off the scent. Bailey and Zach can't help their attraction though gradually becoming friends with their frequent interactions.

I loved all the mystery and intrigue surrounding the famous actor, Ezra King and I enjoyed all of Bailey's attempts to help him whether they were received well or not.

There is also more to Zach than meets the eye. He has his own secrets and agenda at play. Zach is a very likeable character so I had a good feeling about him and I wanted Bailey to open up and trust him with her story.

The pacing in the story is quick and there's never a dull moment. The characters are all very relatable. Even Bailey's mother turned out to be quite funny and endearing.

A Scottish Highland Hideaway is a lovely heartwarming and entertaining story.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

This was a wonderful chick lit with a great plot and memorable characters. A very enjoyable read.

A huge thanks to netgalley, publishers and Julie Shackman for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in return of an honest review. I was totally absorbed in this book and struggled when I had to put it down. There is a touch of almost everything within this story, family dynamics, friendships new and old, love,betrayal,and a little mystery. All in all, a super story, well written and an absolute page turner. An absolute must read.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This lovely book is part of the Scottish Escapes series. When I first started reading, I wanted to know more about the protagonist, Bailey, and her situation. I was whisked away to the Scottish Highlands, as the story began to come to life in my mind, and it brought a smile to my face. I felt that Zach was a charismatic character, and I wanted to know more about him. I think my favourite character, and the one I found the most endearing, was Marcus.

I've read some of this series before, and I always enjoy them. They're delightfully cosy, feel-good reads. I think if you haven't read the previous books, each book works well as a standalone too.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.

"I peered at my laptop screen, fighting to process the fact that this young woman and I were one and the same."

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Julie Shackman is one of my favorite authors and not by chance! I love the way she combines mystery with humor, joy with sadness and how her stories always manage to make me feel good and leave me with a beautiful memory and a smile!

You really must read this story and get to know the Heather Moore in Scottish Highlands where a kind and secretive florist, a mysterious famous actor and an eager journalist meet and their lives become entangled in a beautiful and strange way. You will definitely be filled with emotions and you will definitely have a good time!

Scotland in autumn, is there anything more beautiful? Reading this book reminded me how much I miss visiting, it’s been less than 12 months since I was last there, but that’s not the point it’s always gorgeous but if you can’t be there then you can’t get better than reading a a book set in the Highlands by Julie Shackman.
I loved Bailey from the start, was such a fantastic character and I connected with her completely, I liked Zach as well, they made a great pair but Bailey definitely stole my heart that little bit more. This was such a lovely and uplifting read, can’t help but feel drawn in by the story and Julie‘s wonderful writing and tale spinning skills. The way she describes the high ones makes me feel like I could just close my eyes and when I open them I’d be there, such beautiful descriptions.
This is one of the best examples of a heartwarming feel good romance, it has everything you could want, great characters, secrets, a little bit of drama and tension. This is definitely a boook you are going to want to cosy up with.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What a treat to return to the Highlands and meet Bailey and Zach. Two perfectly imagined characters that I immediately took to, despite the clear animosity between them. If you like enemies to lovers stories, this is an absolute belter.
There’s a fair amount to unpick as I try to provide a review without revealing any spoilers, but I can promise that there are plenty of wonderful characters, and that includes a semi-reclusive Luvvy. As Bailey is hiding secrets about her own identity, she immediately steps in to ensure that Zach doesn’t get near to the actor hiding out in Heather Moore.
This story was a real treat. It captured my attention with its many twists and turns as the desperate measures to protect the secrets became harder to manage. Julie’s storytelling is even more impressive once you read the acknowledgements and discover that this book was written during a most challenging period in her life.
There is a real warmth within the pages, and I loved getting to know this fabulous group of characters. The community of Heather Moore boasts the kind of members who I have come to expect from Julie’s terrific writing. I do hope that you enjoy this lovely escape to the Scottish Highlands.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved reading this book.

On the day of her wedding, Bailey is left at the alter as her groom is a no show.

She leaves everything behind and goes to Scotland. There she opens a florist and is happy living her life and leaving her past behind her.

That is until a journalist called Zack comes to her shop. He wants to find out what she knows about a well known actor, that he’s been informed, is now living in the area.

Bailey is worried that he may recognise her and does her best to ensure he doesn’t.

I loved the setting of Heather Moore and the way it was described.

The book had other side stories relating to the characters which kept you turning the pages. It had moments that made you laugh, sad and was about families, friendships and regrets. As well as starting again.

I recommend this book.

This was a lovely sweet read with family problems, relationships and friendships.

Bailey was jilted at the alter, so she’s ran off to a small village in Scotland. She’s set up a florist and is content with life, until Zack a journalist turns up. He’s after some info on an actor that was spotted nearby. Bailey is hoping she doesn’t recognize her.

An easy read, that’s full of wonderful characters that were interesting to read about. Highly recommend.

A sunny 4.5 star read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

A Scottish Highland Hideaway the 7th book in “The Scottish Escapes series” by Julie Shackman. What can I say other than I loved it and read in one day. An autumnal story of love, believing in yourself and starting over set in the Scottish Highlands

The setting of a tiny town called Heather Moore in the Scottish Highlands sounded magical and irresistible for spending leisurely weekends walking the high street or the woods.

As with the other books in this series, it had everything you could want in a story love, regret, laughter, sadness, forgiveness, friendships and families.

I found the characters to be well developed, and multi-dimensional. There were multiple sub-plots to keep you engaged and interested in the outcome.

I will definitely read other books by this author.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jilted at the alter, Bailey busies herself with her flourishing business until a knock on her door from a reporter threatens to unravel everything.

It was a perfect summer escape book around the picturesque country of Scotland as the backdrop.

Bailey has a new life and business she’s proud of. She’s finally able to move on. Then one day a reporter comes knocking on her door. Is her life about to unravel again?
This was a fast moving book. It sucked me in from page one and kept me there til the end. It has some surprises and secrets along the way. It’s a good story to escape into, a perfect beach read.

3 Stars
One Liner: Read it as a drama

Bailey McArthur moved to Heather Moore for a fresh start. As someone who always loved flowers, she opened a florist shop, Flower Power, and was getting her life back on track.
The arrival of Zach Stern, a journalist, threatens her newfound freedom. When Zach wouldn’t stop asking about Eric, the famous celebrity hiding in the town, Bailey is afraid if her secrets would tumble out. Her growing feelings for Zach complicated things.
Can Bailey sort the mess and find happiness?
The story comes in Bailey’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
Firstly, this is not romance. It has a lot of drama too, so we’ll call it contemporary fiction.
The start is quite good. I enjoyed the descriptions of the flower shop and the picturesque small town in winter.
As the story progressed, I realized this would not be romance. There isn’t enough connection between the main characters. Insta-love trope but sadly it’s not well done. I was still wondering how they could develop such deep feelings for each other.
There’s a lot of side drama involving Bailey’s family. The celebrity, Eric, is also hit with drama and scandals from all sides. Naturally, Bailey, with her helpful attitude, is at the center of it. Things spiral out of control in the second half.
Fortunately, I liked the bond between Bailey and Marcus (her brother). His arc was quite believable. In fact, I empathized more with him than the main characters.
Bailey’s character is decent if a bit silly over Zach. I like she made some great points about starting over, the role of media in sharing gossip at the cost of privacy, the right to become a better person after making mistakes, etc.
Zach’s character is so surface level, he was hardly anything more than great eyes and hair with commendable ethics. If the side drama was limited one topic, there would have been enough space for the MMC to grow and the romance to feel like something.
As expected of the genre, everything gets sorted at the end. There’s an epilogue too. The saving grace for me was the pacing. I could read this in a couple of days.
To summarize, A Scottish Highland Hideaway has a solid premise but messes it up by bringing too much drama and turns it into a soap opera. It might work better if you go with the right expectations. (It is a proper standalone.)
Thank you, NetGalley and One More Chapter (Harper Collins), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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Links will be updated after the blog tour.

A fab and fun autumnal read. Set in the picturesque Heather Moore in the Scottish Highlands.

Bailey is starting over and finding her feet again after being left at the alter. She is a talented florist and learns she can make it on her own.

She meets the handsome Zach Stern but she can’t reveal her new actor friends secret hideaway so she sends Zach on a few wild goose chases.

There’s lots of interesting things going on and various sub plots weaving between her past and present.

I devoured this book in a day and loved every word!

Julie shackman does it again....another page turner that you can't put down because you just have to read a bit more......and so it continues till you realise you've read her book in a day!! This is a story of finding yourself and where you belong and learning to trust yourselves and others again. All set in a beautiful setting which I hope is real somewhere and I want to visit.

Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read most, if not all, of this series and didn’t think there was any more secrets to be hidden in the Highlands, but this one threw that right out the window!

Nearly everyone we meet has a secret of some sort - identity, work, family - you name it. And they all seem to have made their way to Heather Moore, a tiny town in Scotland. I really enjoyed the twists and trying to work out if anyone was safe from Zack, the nosy journalist who turns up asking question after question. He was an odd character to begin with, and changed my view of him a few times throughout. I loved Bailey, but she did seem a bit over-cautious at times and at others, she just dived right in!

A really cute, cosy story with love, laughs and twists galore. More secrets you can imagine too, but all worth keeping.

First I want to say I adored A Scottish Highland Hideaway by Julie Shackman and felt it was a solid well composed story from start to finish. It is set within a beautiful Highland location and contains a plot that flows appropriately within its time frame. The lead characters are warm, winsome and their dilemmas authentic to their society and professional positions. It held my attention completely and I read it straight through with hardly a break. I was caught up in the lives of Bailey and her friends and family. And kept a keen eye on her enemies! I truly felt uplifted by the end of the novel with its happy feel-good romance outcome.

There are always lots of wonderful elements in Julie’s romance mystery novels such as witty humour and playful banter. But underneath there are subtle serious messages. Often they are about unacceptable human behaviour and its consequences. Plus, its effects on the victims. In this case, it is about a famous girl who has been robbed by a con man (from a band) and left at the altar. He played her, took her money and run. She is devastated at being deceived and humiliated and now has trust issues. She comes from a high society family: her parents are an Earl and Countess and they live in a mansion that would ‘make Downton Abbey look like a semi-detached’. She is Lady Anastasia but has been nicknamed by the tabloids as ‘the Bollinger Babe’ – a party girl, always carrying around a bottle of Bollinger wine.

But after the con man, Declan, rips her off and the news is far spread in the media, she tries desperately to distance herself from that world and lifestyle. To forget the shambles of her past, she escapes to the Scottish town of Heather Moore, sets up a florist business, creates a new identity as Bailey McArthur, owner of Flower Power and turns over a new leaf. She wants to prove she can make a go of it without the help of her title. She wants rebuild her self-worth; to make sound choices and carve out a living that she can be proud of and feel good about. Bailey’s business has not been running long but it’s doing well. It seems she has a real talent in flower arranging, which is reflected in her happy repeat customers.

One day, Ezra, a famous actor enters her shop. He has recently moved into the area, bought a grand old place and restored it. He loves flowers and now wants a florist to supply a variety to his home on a regular basis and to adorn a special event. It is soon clear, he is also running away from something or someone. In fact, it is a scandal. We get hints of this from a journalist who has been digging around. It seems Ezra has upset a lot of people after publishing his life story where he exposes some bad people in the movie industry. This makes him an easy target and the town he has hidden himself in is no longer his safe haven. Other issues arise, too, of the personal nature due to what he has written in the book. Bailey, whose identity remains concealed, tries to help him, because she knows what it is like to judged unfairly. He misunderstands her intentions and turns against her for a while. But, of course, over the course of the novel, as revelations occur, his perceptions change when our heroine saves the day.

One of the things I love about Julie’s stories is that although they may seem light on the surface, they are not and have layers of meaning. When looking closer, it is apparent that A Scottish Highland Hideaway exposes deep psychological and societal issues. Particularly seen in the characters who are in the public eye whether born to a high society position or transported by fame in the movie industry. It sheds a spotlight on their lives and the targets they become and what they must deal with as a result. Their lives are in a fishbowl. Many know this when they enter or are born into such a position but it does not make it any easier. It is simple to see the source of their fears, the acts that subject them to humiliation, the worries of being discovered when they are trying to protect their identities, the endless violation of privacy and the effects of being framed by jealous competitors.

This novel shows the good and bad side of the media. We see the reputable sorts who want to deliver real journalism to uncover the truth and make a difference (as Zack does). Then there are those who are just sensationalist delivering gossip and false information to the tabloids to sell papers and appeal to the baser side of society.

There is also an enemies-to-lovers-theme with Bailey and the handsome persistent journalist Zack (who tries to unlock all the mysteries and uncover the truth within the many events and subplots). And there’s the reverse of lovers to enemies with Bailey and Declan. I found Bailey and Zack’s initial and changing relationship quite plausible, along with the various twists and turns in their involvement in obtaining justice once guarded secrets are revealed. Their actions and reactions to each other in the circumstances were understandable. I thought they made a good couple once they got past their issues and became transparent with each other.

All key characters were well delivered and it was good to see them work through their dilemmas and find healing, restoration and to receive their second chances. There are a number of relationships in this novel, not only romantic ones but also those of family members—such as between siblings and parents and their grown children. I loved that unions and reunions were possible and that real change happened in their hearts.

I enjoyed A Scottish Highland Hideaway by Julie Shackman and feel it is a wonderful novel that appeals to the desire in us for happy endings. It shows us the gritty facts of all types of relationships, the consequences of our actions and reactions whether coming from ill intentions or well meaning. But it also teaches that out of those rough experiences good things can come. I am reminded of author Nicole Reed’s words in Ruining You. “Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the most wonderful things that will ever happen to us.” This thought is also an ancient scriptural belief. And is boldly demonstrated in Julie's beautiful novel. A definite must read in my opinion! 5 Happy Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to One More Chapter and Netgalley for a review copy.