Christmas in the Scottish Highlands

By: Donna Ashcroft

Narrated by: Helen McAlpine

Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Welcome to the gorgeous little Scottish village of Christmas, where snow is falling, presents are being wrapped and the locals are writing their festive wish lists. Will this finally be the year that Belle’s dreams come true?

Thirty-year-old Belle Albany is feeling lonely this Christmas. Another whole year has passed and her life is... exactly the same as it was last December. She longs for true love and a little bit of winter magic – but she’s almost given up on finding it in the sleepy Scottish community where she lives...

When Belle crashes into elderly Edina on her cherry red bicycle, it’s not the meet-cute she’d been hoping for. But she immediately recognises the lost look in Edina’s watery-blue eyes and resolves to organise a Christmas to remember for them both – brimming with mince pies, mulled wine and lots of sparkle. Although Belle hadn’t counted on Edina’s home being a crumbling Scottish castle and she certainly hadn’t been expecting Edina’s handsome long-lost grandson Jack Hamilton-Kirk to turn up on the doorstep in the middle of a snow storm...

Jack is arrogant, rude and bossy and Belle is convinced he’s about to ruin the seasonal cheer she has worked hard to create. He’s basically the Grinch in human form, so why does her heart race every time they’re in the same room? They disagree on almost everything, from menu choices to music, and yet she starts to glimpse a softer side hidden behind Jack’s clipped words and brooding countenance.

As they hunt down costumes for the annual nativity show and save a donkey from a snowy disaster, Belle can’t ignore their growing attraction. But will a secret from Jack’s past come between them? Or will this finally be the year Belle falls in love?

This gorgeous, festive read is like a warm hug in a book! The perfect cosy romance to snuggle up with this Christmas. Fans of Nicola May, Trisha Ashley and Debbie Macomber will love this wonderfully uplifting novel.

Donna spent a couple of decades writing bad horror stories and worse poetry until she gave up and accidently fell into publishing. After many years of working on other people’s books, she began to write her own romantic comedies and hasn’t looked back. When Donna isn’t lost in her latest love affair, she works for a website where she indulges her other passion – buying moisturiser. Donna lives in Hertfordshire with her own romantic hero, two gorgeous teenagers and a couple of cantankerous cats.

©2022 SAGA Egmont (P)2022 SAGA Egmont

Fun and lovable!

A nice Christmas romance! Cute characters that I’d actually like to read about again…

Just listen!

Very cute

It was a very cute story over all. It was a little slow for me but I ultimately enjoyed it. The narrator did a fantastic job with all the different voices.

Charming Scottish Christmas Story

Really enjoyed this sweet story. The narration was amazing, and the story kept a smile on my face. Love all the wintery details, gave me all the Christmas vibes

Great story!! Lovely characters!

Loved loved this audiobook! Great Christmas story. Loved the use of Scotland as a backdrop.

Cute little Christmas story

I loved the accents and descriptions of the scenery.
The story line won’t surprise you but it was cute and entertaining even if predictable.

Put out after 7 hrs, the ambiance changes complete

I was quite put out that after spending seven hours listening to what seemed a good story, then it began to spend an inordinate amount of time on scenes of a more erotic nature. Don't get me wrong. I can deal with, and often like, a certain amount of romance and even mild eroticism, but when the story starts leaning on it, I lose interest. Another item that grew tiresome - the author far too often used the phrase that so-and-so "pulled a face", and I mean a lot. It happened time and again and I had to conclude that the author was not even looking for better prose descriptions of characters' reaction, etc.
Unfortunately, I stopped after wasting seven hours I won't get back...and I can't return it. Not much of a Christmas story in the end.
I try not to give negative reviews, but this one called for it for letting the reader/listener invest a lot of time and then shifting the narrative like this.

The narrator was very good and I would like to hear more from her.