Jess grew up in the foster system, never really putting down any roots, until she met her foster mother whom she calls Aunt Vivi. Vivi owns an agency that places housekeeping staff with employers. Though Jess has aspirations to be a singer, singing gigs are hard to come by, so she takes a placement as a housekeeper at a castle in Scotland over the Christmas season. Because Aunt Vivi, who is elderly, has just broken her hip, Jess takes Vivi’s little cockapoo dog with her to the castle. Digby-Dog is adorable, but has breathing problems, terrible halitosis, and generally causes trouble for his carers.

The owner of the castle has recently passed away, leaving his family not only grieving, but facing the scandal surrounding his death. Now, the son of the family, Sebastian, has had to uproot his life in London and return to his ancestral home to fulfill his legacy of Earl of Kirkshield. As he had just attained the position of first violin at the London Philharmonic, the move is not one he wanted… His return to Scotland means he has to relinquish his dreams, and become confronted with a grim reality. The castle has been neglected dreadfully, as have the village buildings. Some cash is badly needed or the castle, which has been in the family for nearly a thousand years, will have to be sold to cover the myriad outstanding debts.

Dee, the matriarch of the castle is reeling from the scandal surrounding her late husband’s death. She endured her marriage for three decades, and now, age 49, feels as if she has just found some longed for freedom. She is a diminutive woman with little in the way of self-esteem after the many years of her husband’s belittling her.

There are three main narrators in this novel. Jess, the housekeeper ; Dee the matriarch of the family, and Sebastian, the new Earl.

Themes of starting over, sibling rivalry, male primogeniture, and the strength of community provide added elements of interest to this holiday romance. There were the requisite misunderstandings, miscommunications, and self-doubt inherent with the romance genre.

“Christmas at a Highland Castle” was a holiday novel permeated with a vibe of hopefulness and the importance of community. The setting was almost fairy-tale perfect and very picturesque. Though I didn’t connect with Jess instantly, I warmed to her as the book progressed. I did really enjoy the story overall. Recommended to those who enjoy holiday romances with beautiful settings. A fun escapist read with touches of humour and romance. Perfect reading for your Christmas ‘down-time’. A nice way to relax…

Jess is a temp housekeeper, currently assigned to the recently-bereaved Earl of Kirkshield's country castle. The new earl is not enthusiastic, his sister is a nightmare, and his mother has not had time to live her own life or adjust to her newly-free one. Bad romances ensue, with some cute little scenes with the locals (who hated the old earl). Unfortunately, there was pretty much no chemistry between any of the characters, and side from it being winter, Christmas at Highland Castle cannot *really* be considered a holiday read. I will say that the writing was not bad per se, just needed some trimming. The reader gets a very complete view of the estate, the town, and the individual characters--the characters themselves are just flat, and the whole "Christmas" thing was merely a date on the calendar. I would try another title by this author in future, because there was definitely potential.

While it did start out interesting and the characters were mostly likable, it started to falter about half way through. I do want to mention first off that if you were going into this looking for a full Christmas theme, it isn't even mentioned until the last 20% of the book so I wouldn't recommend it to get into the Christmas spirit. Even after it was mentioned, there was really nothing to do with Christmas so I wouldn't really have even put Christmas in the title. I also felt that the last 20% was very rushed and there was no real resolution to any issues in the story other than who was in love with who. I didn't really feel that any of the characters that were supposed to have chemistry actually did so it wasn't a particularly good love story either. I'm really not sure what the plot was about but it wasn't bad. I did appreciate reading a story about a castle in the current age instead of the early 1900's though, that was the highlight of the entire thing for me.

Christmas at a Highland Castle by Rachel Barnett drew me in with its straightforward charm and well-paced story. Jess, a resourceful and relatable lead, takes on the role of housekeeper at a crumbling Highland estate and clashes with Sebastian, the reluctant earl. Their growing connection felt natural, and I appreciated how the festive backdrop added depth without overwhelming the story. The vivid descriptions of the castle and snowy Highlands gave just enough atmosphere without being over the top. It's an enjoyable, cozy read for anyone looking for a holiday romance with a little grit and a lot of heart.

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

This was a really lovely Christmas novel. I enjoyed it a lot!

Thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for the opportunity to read Christmas at a Highland Castle by Rachel Barnett, a perfect holiday read.

I found myself struggling abit with this book. I didn’t feel attached to any characters and found it hard to enjoy at times. Christmas is throughout the book with the added typical plots of money issues etc.

Jess grew up as foster kid till she found her “aunt” Vivi. It might be due to her past in the system that she is used to travel around and not staying in one place for a long time. She wanted to be a singer but had to accept that she couldn´t make a living with it hence now she ended up working for Vivi and being the temporary housekeeper in a Scottish castle to spend Christmas and New Year there.
She arrives shortly after the former Earl died and his son Sebastian had to return home into the Highlands to take over the family castle and giving up his dream to become a professional violist.
Soon Jess learns that nothing is what it seems to be in this fantastic castle and that each family member has own problems and that the financial side is also not what you would expect from such an impressive castle with its grounds and a village which belong yet to the new Earl.

For me this is not really a Christmas novel as the Christmas feeling is missing here for me and all it does is playing during the Christmas time. Instead I would say this is mainly a family story including love stories.
The story is nice and I like the setting in this special town. The story is being told from different point of views. We have Jess who comes as employee to the castle, Sebastian who struggles to take over the new role he inherited and from his mother Dee.
Not all characters here were really nice at the beginning, I would say they were rude and more than unfriendly in the way they treated an employee and others, but they changed during the story line.
Sebastian who has to give up a dream to return to a castle he doesn´t really want and has to learn what else his father did is a good character and I liked him. His older sister I could not really stand even so she is changing at the end of the book. His mother Dee is quite a complex character considering what she had to endure all these years and I liked how she is learning to live like she wants to yet.
Jess, well I can´t say that I really liked her. Some of her actions I did not like but all in all and it was OK for me to read her story.
Why some villagers did not like Sebastian and made him responsible for the neglected state of the town was not clear to me as this was his father´s doing and Sebastian left years ago.
So all in all a nice ready but I can´t recommend it as Christmas novel as I am expecting more Christmas atmosphere and feelings in such a novels and this is lacking in this one for me.

This is an amazing romance, with Christmas sprinkled at the end. The new earl has to sort out the mess his father left while his mother is trying to do the same for her own life. Insert a new housekeeper and obviously romance ensues. This book was a lot of fun, but Christmas is not as the forefront which is not what I was expected from a book with Christmas in the title.

For me this was a disappointing read. I was expecting this book to be mainly set at Christmas time and include lots of romance. The book is set in Scotland but you wouldn’t know that unless you read the plot as nothing in this book indicates that it’s set in Scotland. I found the story to be boring and nothing much happened, it felt way too long.
I wouldn’t recommend this book as there’s soo many other books that are worth reading instead of this one.
Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy of this book, all opinions expressed are my own.

Christmas at Highland Castle is a no go for me because of the very annoying and unlikable main character. How many people feel free to yell at their employers within the first 24 hours? and bring along their horribly behaved dog?

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

Sebastin has inherited a castle in Scotland, Jess is sent to be the housekeeper. Sabastin wants nothing to do with the castle or the title that comes with it. Jess works to make him see the value of family.

Christmas at a Highland Castle is written in three points of views: Sebastian, Jess and Dee. Sebastian has inherited his father's castle and the castle's debts too. Jess has been sent to Scotland as a temporary housekeeper but the new Earl, Sebastian, has made her feel quite unwelcome. Dee, Sebastian's mother, is trying to get her leife together after the discgraceful death of her husband, the previous Earl.

It took me a while to get used to the writing style as it got quite confusing with the different points of views. I also wanted the Christmas theme to have been throughout the book but got it eventually at the end. I enjoyed both romances too.

I am beginning to be a bit disillusioned by books with Christmas in the title that treat the holiday as an afterthought to their primary theme. In this case, the trope of “aristocrat and commoner fall in love after a rocky start” consumes 80 percent of the book before Christmas arrives. It is a pleasant enough read with a charming housekeeper, an overwhelmed, handsome earl, and a neglected castle plagued by debt. The feel-good outcomes are predictable for all involved, but there is plenty of drama in arriving there. Overall, it was a solid escapist read.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

Family, fun, Christmas, animals and plenty of love. This was a wonderful read set in a fabulous setting. It shows us that what you want may not be always what you need and that finding your place in life is like coming home.

This was a great read to add to my Christmas reads for the season! (Christmas is my favourite time of year).

I love a good Christmas romance, I love that this story focused on two family members and their quest for love. Jess and Seb are just gorgeous, I loved that they could bring out the best for each other even though he really didn’t want her on the estate at the beginning. Sebs mum and her quest also was cute, finding love after so many years with a nasty man. I love that Jess found her family not just with her aunt but also seb and his family.

"Christmas At A Highland Castle" is a heartwarming story set in the picturesque Scottish Highlands during Christmas. The story follows Sebastian, a young man who becomes the new Earl after the death of his father, Henry. Returning to his ancestral home, Sebastian is quickly confronted with the grim reality that the family estate is drowning in debt. Cue Jess, the temporary housekeeper who helps Sebastian save the estate while also making him fall in love with her.

In contrast, we have Sebastian’s mother, Dee, who is slowly rediscovering herself and sorting out her feelings for the estate’s gamekeeper. Exploring themes of second chances and the complexities of love in later life, this subplot adds emotional depth to the story. Her relationship with the gamekeeper is tender and touching, offering a contrast to the more youthful romance blossoming between Sebastian and the housekeeper, Jess.

While the plot focuses on financial challenges and personal growth, the spirit of Christmas is woven throughout. The holiday season brings a sense of togetherness, with moments of charity, celebration, and reflection. The villagers rally around the estate, reminding readers of the importance of community in times of hardship. There is an underlying message of hope and redemption, fitting for a Christmas novel.

The novel beautifully combines elements of romance, family dynamics, and the challenges of legacy, all against the backdrop of snow-covered mountains and a crumbling castle full of history. It’s a perfect read for the holiday season, offering a cozy escape into a world where love and determination have the power to overcome even the most daunting obstacles. If you're a fan of heartwarming Christmas stories with enough romance, you'll love this book.

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

I enjoyed this cosy Christmas read.

The characters were lovely and the setting was perfect for the story.

It was well-written, fun and I read it in one sitting.

I recommend this book.

I want to start by thanking the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. I liked this book, but it wasn’t my favorite of the year.

I love a Christmas book, whatever month of the year we are in and one set in the Highlands is even better in my opinion. Who doesn't want to spend Christmas in a Scottish castle. I have to start by saying that only the last 10% of the book actually takes place at Christmas so the title is a little misleading.

Jess works as a housekeeper and is sent to the castle by her employer her Aunt Vivi to help the family out as their housekeeper has left under interesting circumstances. The disgraced Earl has recently died leaving his son Sebastian in charge. Feeling the weight of the world and his new title on his shoulders, Sebastian is not looking forwards to life at the castle. As his Fathers bad management of the estate comes into light he longs to return to his life in London. The whole family works together to right the wrongs their father has done to the estate and its tenants and try to make it prosperous again. Jess finds herself really enjoying castle life and the company of Sebastian they are worlds apart but still have a love of music in common.

I did enjoy the book and with the introduction to Digby the dog and Aunty Vivi the book kept my interest. The characters were likeable enough and there was that bit of comedy general from Digby to keep me laughing along. It is the first book I have read by Rachel Barnett but I would definitely look out for other books by the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.