Single mother Zoe is desperately struggling to make ends meet in London. Her 4-year-old son Hari is perfect, except for the fact he doesn’t speak – at all. When Zoe’s landlord raises the rent on her dismal studio flat, she realises she has nowhere to turn.
When an opportunity for not one but two jobs arises in Scotland, Zoe decides this could be the change she desperately needs.
Faced with her new boss Ramsay, and his 3 unruly children, Zoe begins to wonder if she’s made a terrible mistake. But the Highlands have a way of getting under your skin and in her heart, Zoe doesn’t know whether she could ever leave.
Firstly, I would like to start this review by mentioning the foreword from the author. I am not a great reader of this section usually, but I find Colgan fills hers with as much fun and wit as the rest of the book. However, this particular piece really sat with me, especially this line:
“If you read…It means there are more heads to be in, more lives to be lived than simply your own.”
I have loved books my whole life, having started reading from an early age, books hold some of my fondest memories. One of which is snuggling down at bedtime next to my mum for a chapter of the next great adventure. As an only child and being quite introverted, I found that by devouring stories I could live exciting journeys to faraway lands from the comfort of my home. Even now as an adult following my own adventures, and being slightly less introverted, the feeling of joy that comes from meeting new characters and discovering new places has never diminished. The sheer love of books is what ultimately shines through in this story, and that’s a plot I can wholeheartedly get behind!
Colgan instantly transports the reader to the Scottish Highlands in this new book, with her delectable descriptions and faultless writing style. This is a skill I admire, and find in very few authors, the ability to show you a place/environment rather than telling you. I could clearly see and feel the haar in the mornings and the late afternoon sunshine glittering on the loch.
The characters have such a mishmash of personalities, that they all brought something different to the story. At first, I wasn’t sure if I was going to warm to Zoe, but once she arrived in Scotland, I found myself liking her more and more. I think she just needed some gumption! Ramsay made me angry at first, but he grew on me as we discovered more about his life, and the children were all hilarious in their own ways. Unfortunately, the only person I disliked in this book was Nina. She always seemed ungrateful and I found that grated on me throughout.
I am happy that this title was more than the boy meets girl story typical of this genre. There was a thin veil of mystery that gave this book an edge over its peers, and it was highly enjoyable.
** Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group (UK), via NetGalley, for this ARC **