A lovely Scottish island tale. This book tells you not to read a book by the cover as things are not always as expected and they may just surprise you. I loved the island location and the historical twist.

If you are looking for a fun, uplifting and wonderfully romantic page-turner, then A Scottish Island Summer by Julie Shackman is the book for you.

Darcie Freeman is a city girl through and through, so being sent to the Isle of Skye for work is her idea of hell. Travelling to the remote Scottish island to conduct research for a travel guide is the very last thing she wants to do, but luckily for her, Logan Burns is ready to offer her a helping hand – and his broad shoulders – just when Darcie needs someone in her corner the most.

Logan is passionate about the Isle of Skye and he’s determined to show Darcie just what his favourite place in the whole wide world could offer her. From breath-taking vistas to gorgeous scenery you just cannot see anywhere else, by the time he’s finished with her, Logan is convinced that Darcie will be as enamoured with Skye as he is.

As Darcie ditches her designer clothes and high heels for walking boots and a raincoat, she is about to realise that there’s more to life than likes and followers on social media and that the sky is the limit for her – especially with someone you love by your side.

Julie Shackman’s A Scottish Island Summer is a dreamy romance that is a joy to lose yourself in. Witty, warm-hearted and hugely enjoyable, this gorgeous romantic read is a tale about self-discovery, finding happiness and falling in love when you least expect it that is cosy, charming and deliciously feel-good.

Full of characters you will adore and set in a beautifully rendered part of the world that will make you want to pack your bags and head to the Isle of Skye, Julie Shackman’s A Scottish Island Summer is the perfect romantic escape.

A super cute, summer filled book. Loved the setting, the characters and the romance. Delightfuly cozy!

I am so happy to have given this book by Julie Shackman a try because I absolutely loved it! This book is full of adventures, a bit of romance, a bit of mystery and a lot of fresh air from Scotland! This book was so well written and so well documented, I now really want to visit the isle of Skye in Scotland! It seems so beautiful! I give this wonderful book a 4 stars out of 5! You can go ahead and pick this book if you love travelling and love romance!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book moved at a slow pace, but it was wonderful. I enjoyed this book a lot!

Love the books by Julie Shackman. Beautiful setting, a community that knows each other. Friendships, romance and a mysterious historical treasure hunt. Ticked all my boxes.

Although part of the Scottish Escapes series, A Scottish Highland Summer can be enjoyed as a standalone novel.

It follows Darcie, a fast-paced city dweller and successful travel blogger, who is reluctantly sent to the Isle of Skye to research an upcoming travel guide.

Initially self-absorbed and difficult to warm to, Darcie embarks on a journey of personal growth, aided by the breathtaking Scottish landscape and the easygoing charm of Logan, a local who becomes both her guide and unexpected companion.

The novel masterfully blends romance with mystery, as Darcie finds herself entangled in the search for the legendary Skye Lovers Cross - an ancient archaeological treasure steeped in folklore.

The Isle of Skye itself becomes a character in its own right, with its rugged cliffs, tranquil lochs, and picturesque villages providing an atmospheric and immersive setting. I felt like I had been transported to Skye thanks to Shackman's storytelling.

While the evolving romance and treasure hunt added intrigue, I found it difficult to connect with Darcie at first.

However, her development throughout the novel made her transformation more rewarding.

Shackman’s writing brings the setting to life, making this an enjoyable read for those who love Scotland, second-chance journeys, and a touch of adventure.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Great setting and original premise. I love Skye and it was so well evoked in this book that I’m sure many more people will want to visit.

However, Darcie simply annoyed me. I found her insufferable and unlikeable for a substantial part of the book and sadly that ruined the romance. I do not understand the whole concept of social influencers; for me they are the negative downside of social media so I totally struggled with Darcie. It’s still an enjoyable read.

Slow to get going story about an influencer who goes to write a review n the isle of Skye. The thought of an influencer in any book filled me with dread even one who changes. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

Social media influencing is a trendy timely subject. Over-the-top influencers with their slick videos, perfect trips where nothing goes wrong and lots of product endorsements are everywhere on social media. As fascinating as they are they're also annoying. This brings us to Darcie Freeman.

Darcie has gotten to the point in her "career" where it has gone to her head. She believes that fans are the only people who matter and it's her right to take luxury vacations promoting stuff all on someone else's dime. Having to be video ready perfect has become ingrained and it's like high school where you'll just die if you get a pimple. It's big business and Darcie is slipping down the ranks, panic sets in. She's sent to Scottish Isle of Skye by her pushy agent to write & photograph a travel guidebook, thinking she's being punished and this place is the portal to hades. Unlikable for the first part of the story it turns out she's not empty-headed and cold.

Handsome local Logan is hired to be her guide and he leads Darcie on a three week awakening journey. Logan is a simple guy happy with his life, loving his home and manages to teach her simple doesn't mean dull, he's got a romantic soul. Camping by the beach, picnics, tours of old castles and gardens. I'd never thought a geologist would be handsome, fairly young, interesting and swoon worthy. It was an enjoyable read and I loved the HEA, it's a favorite ending trope of mine.

#NetGalley #AScottishIslandSummer #romance #contemporaryromance #JulieShackman #OneMoreChapter #HarperCollins #treasurehunt #tourScotland #IsleofSkye

Darcie a travel writer is sent to Skye to write about the island. While there she meets Logan and Iona, sibl8ngs who l8ve and breathe the island and serve as her guide. As Darcie explores the island, her outlook to life changes, from being more of a frou-frou influencer, to actually think about a simpler way of living and what truly matters. There's a slow burn romance along with a mystery surrounding a Cross that keeps the story interesting.

#netgalley #AScottishIslandSummer

Darcie Freeman is a travel influencer but currently her biggest competition is getting all the great jobs. So her agent secured her a book deal for a travel guide about the Isle of Skye. Darcie is horrified as this has nothing to do with the great luxury travels she did so far and means not to comfort she is used to.
Her arrival on the island is confirming her biggest fears. The weather is bad as it is cold and raining, she is not in a five start hotel, has no Spa and her contact from the PR company is also not what she is used to. All is getting even worth when she is informed that a local was hired to show her around the island and it turns out to be the brother of the local PR contact. So the time for designer shoes are over as Darcie needs walking boots and a reasonable wardrobe to survive what lays ahead of her as wild camping, a boat trip are only some things waiting for her. As she spends more and more time with Logan and less time on her social media accounts Darcie learns what really matters in live.


A really nice romance! The story is set on the stunning Isle of Skye and for me the feeling of the island and its inhabitants is beautifully conveyed. I had the feeling to be again on the island.
I really love how two so different worlds collide here.

Darcie is a big city girl. After she was cheated on she is fully concentrating on her career as influencer. She wants to get the good advertising deals, TV offers, the mega travel deals, ...
Unfortunately one of her rivals is doing so much better than her, hence she needs to accept the Skye deal. I like that she arrives with high expectations and is faced with another lifestyle on the island. To read how bit by bit she is living less in the social media bubble and instead really arrives on Skye, is learning more about the island and its inhabitants, how she is changing bit by bit is for me very well done here.
Logan is fallowing his dreams on Skye and is a down to earth person.
Right from the start I liked how both of them interact, how their relationship is changing.
Also all the other characters are well written and fit perfectly into this story.

For me the setting is perfect, nice characters, nice love story and a treasure hunt make the perfect combination for this nice romance I enjoyed reading and I can really recommend.

I was really looking forward to reading this as it's set on the beautiful Isle of Skye. Skye is my favourite island and I have a lot of wonderful memories from visiting there over the years. I felt the author's information and descriptions of it were excellent. 

Unfortunately I disliked Darcie at the beginning. She came across as selfish and entitled. However, I am delighted that we see her grow as a character as the book progresses, especially with the help of Logan who I thought was a great character. There was a great mix of other characters, including Iona and the mysterious man!

Darcie certainly changed as she faced the challenges, set by Logan, which were material for her book. I found some of these highly entertaining.

A slow burn romance and a mystery to solve as well made this a lovely lighthearted read which I would recommend.

Thank you Rachel's Random Resources for my gifted copy and spot on the tour.

The eighth in Shackman's 'Scottish Escapes' series and my third of the series, A Scottish Island Summer took me off to the Isle of Skye to meet new faces Darcie and Logan.

Whilst a slow burn romance isn't always to everyones taste, I actually enjoyed it as it gave me some time to appreciate the beauty of the surrounding areas and learn a thing or two about Skye.

They say opposites attract and that couldn't have been more true...Darcie and Logan were like chalk and cheese with absolutely nothing in common, then boom stars collided and they became the perfect match.

Engaging and enjoyable it was the perfect escapism to brighten up a wintery day in January.

A cosy read set in the beautiful Isle of Skye. When Darcie, a successful social media influencer is trying to up her game, her agent sends her to Skye to write a travel guide. It's her worst nightmare, the middle of nowhere, cold and wet and her expected 5 star hotel with a spa turns out to be an old fashioned B&B without a spa in sight. What's worse Darcies rival is posting pictures of her reviews of her time in a luxury hotel in the sun. The great writing but he author really made me laugh out loud reading about Darcie arriving on the Isle and how she has to tackle the lack of the luxury shes used to, the unsuitable designer clothing shes packed and not to mention the shock shes to spend days with Logan, the local Bear Grylls, trying out Island life.
As Darcie is welcomed by the islanders she finds herself swapping her high heels and designer clothes for walking boots and jumpers and begrudgingly getting involved, she can't quit, she needs this travel guide to be a success to boost her online career. When she eventually starts looking around her instead of through a lens on her phone, she realises how beautiful the Isle is and she gets caught up in local life and the search for missing treasure - the Skye lovers cross. Darcie has no idea how her life is about to change for the better and not in the way she thought.

A beautiful read that I couldn't out down. My 1st book by this author and I will definitely be checking out more titles.

Absolutely loved A Scottish island Summer! It was very rewarding to see Darcie change from a character that I didn't care much for to changing for the better as the story progressed.
Some takeaways from the story included being present/not always on our phones, don't try to be someone you're not, and paying attention to and appreciating your own life, as comparison is the thief of joy.
I loved that there was a little bit of mystery included in the plot, so it's not such a formulaic romance. I didn't realize that this is part of a series, so I'll definitely be looking into more of Julie's books.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and the publisher/author/whomever approved me for this ARC.

I’ve enjoyed several books by Julie Shackman before, so I was pleased to be offered a chance to review A Scottish Island Summer.

I have to confess that I didn’t warm to Darcie to start with. She just seemed to complain a lot. However, she soon mellowed a bit and I liked her better. She seems to be a good person at heart, but very controlled by fleeting emotions.

I liked Logan a lot more, though admittedly he seemed a little irritating on the first encounter.

The setting was lovely. Skye comes across as a really beautiful location, even if it does rain a lot. I loved the coral beach especially (though it doesn’t sound comfortable to walk or sit on!).

I liked the plot too, with the treasure hunting and the romance. It felt like a holiday from the here and now.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable romance, with a beautiful location, and a touch of adventure.

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources. This is part of the Scottish Escapes series, and I've read a few others by this author.

At first, I wasn't sure what to make of the protagonist, Darcie, as she seemed fussy and preoccupied, and not the sort of person that I would click with. This was just a first impression though, and I found that I did connect with her a little bit more, as the story progressed. I enjoyed the cosy, feel-good atmosphere, and the other characters seemed warm and friendly.

I really liked Logan; he was exactly the type of character who made my heart melt. I enjoyed how the author worked with Skye as a setting, bringing it to life for the reader, with beautiful descriptions of the scenery.

This book was full of moments that warmed my heart and made it flutter, and I enjoyed my little escape to Skye.

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

I have only read a couple of Julie Shackman’s books but knew as soon as I saw this book was set on Skye that it was going to be good.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about city-break & 5 star spa -loving social media influencer, Darcie’s, experience of camping & trekking around the isle of Skye with the rugged, handsome local, Logan, as her guide.
Cue comical exploits involving tents, heels, mud, sideways rain and much more. Given time (and a bit of sunshine), Darcie comes to see the beauty of the island and how special it and its inhabitants are becoming to her. The push-pull of Darcie & Logan’s developing feelings and the unearthing of a hidden secret keeps the reader’s attention from beginning to end.
A great spring or summer read, whatever the weather.

A young and upcoming influencer is sent to Skye to promote the island. A reluctant Darciexsets off on a journey that will change her life’s she falls under the spell of the island and an inhabitant. Romance tinged with unraveling a mystery . Slow to get going but picks up momentum once the hunt is on for the hidden artefact