Summer in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft

Set in the gorgeous little village of Lockton, Summer in the Scottish Highlands is a story of two people who rediscover love and follow their heart’s deepest desires.

Paige is thirty years old, widowed for a year now and suspended from her job. She travels to her parents’ house in Lockton, Scotland with her three-year-old daughter Grace. Paige is waiting for a house deal to pass through so that she can restart her life and career in London.

Still angry at herself for being responsible for her husband’s death – guilt plays a devastating role in our lives – Paige feels lost. Her breakdown at work caused her employers to send her off on a month-long break.

Lockton is where Paige was born and brought up. Six years ago, she met Carl when he came to set up tent at the village fete. They fell in love and Paige eloped with Carl. Soon, she learned Carl was not the handsome and charming man he portrayed to be.

He never wanted kids and when Grace was born, he was not happy. The couple were on their way back from a restaurant when they got into an argument. This led to Carl not being able on concentrate on his driving and the car crashed, killing Carl and grievously injuring Paige.

Coming back to Lockton has brought back a mixture of happy and sad memories for Paige. The local ‘gossipmonger’ wonders if Paige is here to stay. The local library where Paige once worked as a teenager is under renovation.

The librarian passed away and the villagers did not find any suitable successor. Paige is asked to involve in the renovations and the reopening of The Book Barn (the library). She agrees to help out until it is time for her to move back to London.

Paige’s parents neighbor is a young and handsome man named Johnny. He works at the local pub(which is owned by his twin). Johnny owned a restaurant back in New York and was well-known for his signature dishes. A heart attack and face-to-face with death made him decide to move to Scotland. It’s been three years since the incident but Johnny is still trying to find his true passion; or rather, is scared to pursue his passion for cooking as it might affect his health once again.

Paige and Johnny work together at the library. They end up sharing their secrets, both wary of the fact that they might be judged by the other. Grace and Johnny get along well and Paige is torn between moving back to London and staying at Lockton.

Summer in the Scottish Highlands is a charming and heart-warming story. This is a story of how love heals the deepest wound in the darkest corner of our heart. This is a story of how two people, bogged down by peer and societal pressure, made life decisions on a whim, paid the brunt of it and are now following their dream/passion.

A couple of twists (especially the one regarding a particular ‘mystery’ author) and a dash of humor made the story even more interesting. The love story between Paige and Johnny leaves a warm and fuzzy feeling in your heart. The final twist is at the end of the story – when Paige has to decide whether to move back to London or continue staying at Lockton.

This is my first Donna Ashcroft book and definitely not my last. I am in awe of her storytelling. Excellent character portrayal and writing. I enjoyed reading every bit of this story. In fact, Summer at the Scottish Highlands is a perfect Summer read. If you love warm and fuzzy love stories set in scenic countryside, you might want to give Summer in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft a try.

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