Winter Wishes in the Scottish Highlands

by Donna Ashcroft

This story is about friendship, handling grief, and being controlled by others. Ross feels guilty over his parents’ deaths and his grandmother and older brother Simon seem to blame him as well. Grandmother Miriam is extremely harsh and controlling and has been grooming Simon for his role as Laird since his parents’ passing. Anything to do with Ross warranted only a passing thought.

Ivy Heart had lost her father to a heart attack. Her mother had to try unsuccessfully to salvage his failing business and wants her daughter to never have to struggle to survive. So she tries to control Ivy’s career choice.

There are interesting characters along the way—supportive ones like Connell and Bonnibell, part owners of Christmas Resort where Ross works as an adventure guide, and the curmudgeon loner Grizzle, a reluctant friend to Ross. Ross has two pets: a golden retriever Moose and a wild boar Snowball.

Ross and Ivy are attracted to each other, but Miriam’s manipulations cause trouble. Ross and Ivy have to come to grips with their pasts and what they want for the future.

Ivy and Ross were not really characters that drew me in. I liked the animals in the story better than the people. I found Ross’ relationship as an adult with his grandmother and Ivy’s with her mother to be unrealistic. The expectations of the adults were intertwined, but focused on their own emotional needs more than those of Ross and Ivy.

I enjoyed Winter Wishes in the Scottish Highlands to the extent that I wanted what was best for the protagonists, but I wasn’t engaged in how they accomplished that end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Notes: 1. #4 in the Christmas Village Series, but can be read as a standalone
2. Contains one open door bedroom scene.

Publication: September 18, 2024—Bookouture

Memorable Lines:

…he turned and headed towards the hallway, leaving Ivy feeling even more confused—because this was a man who wouldn’t speak to his own grandmother, but who’d brave bad weather to check on a friend.

“It takes a brave person to risk love and a stupid one to think they’d be happier without it.”

His whole life felt like it had just been through a washing machine cycle and everything he used to take comfort from had been rinsed away.

My first Christmas book of the year and what a book to start with. I have read a few of Donna's books before and I love her writing style. It's charming and cosy and just perfect for curling up with a hot chocolate and a blanket.

Despite only visiting a handful of times I adore Scotland and would love to visit many more times, so I am always on the hunt for books set in Scotland. I loved the Christmas Resort and the idea behind it. Christmas is always such a busy time that spending quality time with the family isn't always possible.

Ivy and Ross are great characters. I loved their meet cute it really made me giggle. I loved how their relationship unfolded and how Ivy's passion for plants was reawakened through their journey.

A warm and uplifting read that is perfect to start off the season with. Grab your hot chocolate and cosy with this festive read.

This was a cute feel good book 3.5 stars more towards 4 stars.

As a Scottish person I just wish that Donna had gotten it looked over properly, it’s kin not Ken, nae is not said the way they say it in the book and Scottish cookies… don’t get me started.

I loved grizzle being a grumpy old man and I thought the idea of a wild bore being a pet exactly the same as a dog was funny.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

This was my first by this author and I definitely want to check out the other books in the series!

If you love a good Christmas story this one will definitely set you in the mood! When the MC is set to go get answers from a grumpy grandson, what will happen and who will be chosen to run the family legacy

This was a very cute and sweet romance, which I enjoyed very much, even if it was predictable. I loved the setting in Scotland, and I rooted for the main characters! This was a wonderful comfort read.

Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't normally read seasonal books but this one sounded atypical so I thought why not. I was thoroughly taken by surprise by how much I enjoyed it. It featured family drama, a high stakes assignment, love at first site, and an old curmudgeon. And let's not forget the unique pet for the added humor. Readers will find that they quickly fall into the pages and get swept away by both Ivy and Ross. Ashcroft wrote with such aplomb that you can almost smell the evergreen trees and the hot chocolate. Utterly delightful.

A cute and cozy holiday romance. The romance was a bit on the softer end. I would have loved to see if be a bit more the start of the story.
However, this is still a fun holiday read that I would recommend.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was such a delightful, festive and wonderful read. Christmas Resort sounds like a magical dream and somewhere I would love to stay. The setting was perfect and the characters fantastic, I felt myself really rooting for them both. A great start to the festive reading season.

Ivy is sent to the Christmas Resort to find her employer’s grandson but he isn’t keen on speaking to her. She finds herself signing up for some of his outdoor adventures to get the chance to speak to him. She soon finds herself not only drawn to the snowy woods and landscape but also the grumpy Ross. They both find they need to rethink, Ivy what it is she wants to do and Ross whether he is better off alone or whether he is in fact lonely.

This is a lovely cosy read perfect for curling up to read with a hot chocolate and mince pie.

The moment I saw Donna Ashcroft's name on this Christmas book I just knew I was about to fall in love with it.
One thing I adore about this author is the characterisation. As the story progresses I find myself feeling as though the characters are friends, and the storyline.... I could talk about it all day long!
A perfect festive, romantic read.

4.5 stars rounded to 4 stars.

Christmas is my favorite holiday, so I was thrilled to be included on this tour. Even though it was 100 degrees today, this book really made me feel in the Christmas spirit. This book is charming, sweet, and festive, and I really enjoyed meeting all of the characters and seeing how they developed throughout the book. The setting of this book at a Christmas Resort in the Scottish Highlands was perfect, and the writing style made me feel so immersed in the book and the setting.

I enjoyed this book so much, and it's the perfect book to add to your Christmas reading list!

A perfect read for fans of a romantic Christmas read with ambitious city girl Sky and Ross, the laird, who just wants to be left alone to work in the woods. If she can just persuade Ross to come back to the family estate, she has been promised the job of her dreams. But who knows what the future really has in store for both Sky and Ross when love sparks between them.

I have previously enjoyed a ‘visit’ to the Christmas resort, so was pleased to be back again. Initially I forgot this was going to be the setting as the first section of the book is set in a castle, so I was anticipating the unfolding of the story there; however, I was pleased when circumstances took Ivy, one of the main characters, up to the highland Christmas resort. Such a cosy-sounding setting with great descriptions that allowed the reader to walk on the crisp, newly-fallen snow alongside the couple the book centres around.
A good read, it held my interest from beginning to end, with no temptation to flick forward a few pages, Perfect for the festive period. Snuggle up in the warmth, enjoy a mince pie, or three, and settle down to enjoy this book. .

Winter Wishes in the Scottish Highlands is a cozy romance set against the enchanting backdrop of a Christmas farm in Scotland. The author beautifully captures the magic of the Highlands during the holiday season, complete with twinkling lights, snowy landscapes, and the warmth of family traditions. It’s the perfect setting for a heartwarming love story.

The book is fairly well written, with a delightful sense of place and atmosphere that makes it easy to get lost in the charm of the Scottish countryside. The characters are endearing, and the romance is sweet, making it an ideal comfort read during the winter months.

However, while the setting and tone are perfect for a cozy holiday romance, the story does fall into predictable territory. The plot follows familiar tropes, and there are few surprises along the way. That said, if you’re looking for a comforting and festive escape with a touch of romance, Winter Wishes in the Scottish Highlands delivers exactly that—it’s a cozy, feel-good read that’s easy to enjoy, even if you can see what’s coming.

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

I have read, and enjoyed, quite a few books by this author. So far, I have not read one yet that I didn't enjoy. This book was no exception. I loved it!

If you need a beautiful heart warming story set at Christmastime, look no further than Winter Wishes in the Scottish Highlands. This story really makes you rethink what the word family means to you.

Told through the eyes of both of the main characters, Ivy has got to persuade the grandson of her iron-fisted employer to come back to his estranged family. She needs to find her place and where she belongs too, and follow her own path, not the path of well meaning family members. Ivy is a kind and generous soul who truly finds herself in the couple of weeks in which this book is set.
Ross has a lot of trauma in his childhood and more recent past and finds that the best way to deal with it is to secret himself away from the majority of others, despite how lonely it leaves him. He finds that facing up to some truths are very hard and overcoming fears are even harder. Ross has a lovely spirit of generosity and wholesome back-to-nature ideas.

Being that this is the fourth book in the series, we do see a return of past characters who we know and love. It can absolutely be a stand alone book though.
I love the sense of community that this book shares, including a tiara wearing old dear who has a character of a donkey, the local beautician with a sparkling gleam for match making in her eye, an irritable old man who won't face up to the fact that he cares more than he wants to, and of course who could forget Ross' beautiful pets, Moose and Snowball!

A lovely read before the festive period. My thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Donna Ashcroft for an advanced copy to read. All opinions expressed are my own.

Ivy meets Ross when she is tracking him down, as her bosses grandson. A great festive romance, and some great characters.

This was a sweet, charming piece of writing and just what I needed. The characters are well drawn so that you can easily relate both in the positive and negative. Their errors and I should have, would have, meant to, are mistakes most of us have made at one time - once you put aside that shoulders up to your ears cringe - well you know when you have done exactly that stupid thing without thinking. What is it that is said - it isn’t about the mistake but the recovery?

Loving Scotland, its cities, islands, the Lowlands and especially the Highlands, this book had me at Castle and Laird. A believable story with interesting and fairly well developed characters, familial obligations, disappointments, humor and romance there is something on each page and chapter which held my interest and my heart.

Thanks to Bookoutre and NetGalley for a copy

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review.

I was so excited to read this because i love Christmas time. It was really cute and i loved the vibes of it. My only complaint is that it felt short, i'd like more.

A funny and wise tale of two people with family baggage.
Just before Christmas, the festive atmosphere takes over. This is a lovely seasonal story, warm and charming. It was a pleasure to read.