1. Now I need to read Highland Fling.

2. It has been a very trying couple of years and I find myself turning to romance novels to escape this claustrophobic reality we are living in. Highland Whirl allowed me to travel vicariously, meet unforgettable characters, and get lost in a well-written love story that will stay with me for a while.

This is a well written romance with amazing main characters. The scenery was very descriptive and quite beautiful. I enjoyed it very much and recommend grabbing a copy. 4.5 stars


Thank you Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Very entertaining book. I really liked that there are three relationships going on at the same time. The main relationship is between Roxanne and Alice. I liked these two together, and there's quite a bit of angst, and drama between these two, sometimes it felt like a bit too much drama, but I can understand why the author wrote it this way in the end. I felt that Alice was very insecure in some moments and caused most of the drama, but in the end you had to like her and root for her to have a happy ending, as for Roxanne I really liked her, because she really stayed true to who she was and when it was time to make a change she went into it with her heart and soul wide open. The other relationships seemed like they were continuations of a previous book in this series, and only helped to propel Roxanne and Alice relationship along I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family and I look forward to what this author writes next.

A very credible debut novel, my congratulations to the author. Forget about this being LGBTQ, it's a well-written romance, with excellent imagery of both locations and characters. I recommend this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This novel opens with Roxanne, long-time friend of Eve, who hesitantly accepts an invitation to go on holiday to Inverness for Eve’s 30th birthday. We learn that Rox is nervous to spend time with Eve’s partner, Moira, and discover some tension with the idea of spending time in the company of Moira’s 20-something stepdaughter, Alice. Rox ends up having to stay with Alice for part of her holiday. We find out how very opposite the two are while trying to avoid each other even in the same spaces.

Along the way, the reader is whisked away to a place with vivid descriptions of scenery, architecture, and the surrounding land. There’s very much a sense of community and togetherness with the characters we meet, and the true power of friendship and love is beautifully woven throughout.



This book surpassed whatever expectations I had, and I stayed up until all hours to finish it. It was a really sweet novel that tackled very real problems along the way, and I would absolutely recommend this book to others.



Note: This is the second novel with these characters. The author recapped the first book well enough that it is fine as a standalone.

Highland Whirl by Anna Larner made me surprisingly emotional. I typically never read series out of order but somehow I missed the first book in this series, Highland Fling. That being said the author does a great job of giving you all the information you need to understand and connect with the characters.

The main couple in this book are Rox and Alice, who met briefly in the first book under not the best circumstances. When Rox’s best friend Eve invites her to visit Scotland for Eve’s birthday Rox is on the fence. While she wants to see her friend she hasn’t visited her in Scotland since she moved 3 years before, and is anxious about fitting in to her new life. When Eve asks Alice to host Rox neither are thrilled with the situation.

Alice and Rox’s relationship is very dynamic they both carry a lot of baggage, not in past relationships but more with themselves. Alice is trying to be best the version of herself to the point of hindering herself. Rox has serious self-doubt and abandonment issues. Together Rox and Alice are able to open up and confront issues in ways they haven’t before.

The one part of the book I have complicated feels about is Rox and Eve’s friendship. Possibly because I didnt read the first book, but I didn’t really like Eve. She seemed so excited to have Rox visit and then proceeded to virtually ignore her most of the time. Who books their drivers test the weekend their best friend visits? Rox only stayed the night at her apartment like 1 of 4 nights. When they did speak Eve was telling her to not embarrass her, or stay away from Alice. They figure it out in the end but the whole thing made terribly sad.

Overall I really did like this book and it made me cry more than once.

#lesbians #lesfic #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #bookreview #lgbtq #lgbtbooks #romancebooks #romance #wlw #sapphic #book #boldstrokesbooks

‘Highland Whirl’ by Anna Larner is the third book I’ve read by this particular author and I’ve loved every one. Although this is a follow up to ‘Highland Fling’, there is no need to have read the previous story as it works as a standalone too. In this novel we spend time with Roxanne Barns, best friend of Eve, who is paying a long anticipated visit to Inverness, and Alice Campbell, stepdaughter of Moira, Eve’s partner. The pair did not hit it off at all when they first met in Leicester a few years before, so when Alice is asked to host Roxanne for the night, neither are happy about it. Roxanne’s apparent nonchalance regarding women and relationships annoys Alice no end. And Roxanne finds Alice stuck-up and immature. Can either of them get past that now? As a growing attraction builds it becomes more difficult to keep to their own corners.

I was so glad to be back in Newland, with Eve, Moira and their neighbours, especially Angus and Elizabeth. Life had moved on and there were new issues to deal with involving all of them. The tension between Roxanne and Alice was skilfully done, as was the story involving the whole group. The writing was beautifully descriptive and one could almost imaging being in the Highlands with them. The setting was perfect and the characters exceptionally well imagined. Anna Larner writes in a gentle, kind and loving way, and I look forward to every book she brings out. A wonderful story.

I was given this ARC for review.

The characters are so realistic that I actually think I’ve met them in my younger days. Roxanne in particular is great. A massive mess, emotionally a teenager, but with a nurse’s practical heart of gold. I’ve definitely hooked up with her. Meanwhile Alice is the epitome of a no nonsense Scottish crofter, and whilst she may not take fools gladly, she has a soft spot for a wee eejit. Evocative story, sweet romance and a lovely testament to friendship.

Let me begin this review by stating that I have not read the previous story, Highland Fling. I think that it would have been of great benefit to have done so. This book, while being primarily about a new couple of main characters, there are quite a few (not so) secondary characters and relationships that probably were introduced in Highland Fling. Since I was not aware of the backstories of any of these characters, I had to piece everything together and that contributed to the book’s beginning to lag a bit for me. That being said, I liked all these characters and grew to care about them quickly.

Roxanne Barns is a Leicester nurse who has a reputation as a "love 'em and leave 'em" reputation. She is always honest with the women she beds – their time with her will be passionate, but brief. Since her best friend Eve has left town and moved to the Scottish highland to be with her new love, Roz has been feeling unmoored. She spends most of her off-hours hanging out in an ex’s bar. Now she’d agreed to visit Scotland and celebrate Eve’s birthday with her. The fact that she apparently tried to interfere in Eve’s new relationship, has her feeling that she might not be warmly welcomed there.

Alice Campbell is the stepdaughter of Eve’s new love Moira. She does not like nor trust Roxanne – she knows that Roxanne was against Eve’s moving to Newland and worries that she may be arriving with ulterior motives. Eve’s birthday party preparations have everyone on a tight schedule and now Eve has asked Alice if Roxanne can stay at her home for a night or two. Neither Roxanne nor Alice are thrilled with the plan, but since they both love Eve they’ll make the best of the situation.

Alice and Roxanne despite not liking each other, have amazing chemistry. They also learn that they may have judged each other too harshly. They rapidly become friends, and both wonder if there could be more between them. But Roxanne is only visiting, and any romantic relationship could complicate matters for Eve and Moira. Is either of them ready to risk anything for what could be a huge mistake?

I don’t know very much about Scotland, but I feel like I got a good impression of what it is like to be there. The changing weather patterns, steep climbs, and beautiful scenery make for an interesting backdrop for the story.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but the elderly couple, Angus and Elizabeth melted my heart. There were moments when I had to wipe away a tear or two -- they were warm and wonderful and just want to hug them. I also want to know more about Eve and Moira’s story and why Eve was so worried about taking her driving test.

As I stated earlier, I wish I had read Highland Fling before reading Highland Whirl. I can’t go back in change that fact, but I will be reading Fling very soon and if I enjoy it as much as Whirl, I will be very happy.

In Highland Whirl, city dweller Roxanne Barns reluctantly joins her best friend, Eve, for her birthday celebration in the Highlands. Roxanne does not need reminders of her inability to commit as compared to Eve, let alone put up at Alice Campbell’s place for a night. The very Alice Campbell that she had a hell of an impression some 4 years ago.

Both Roxanne and Alice have preconceived ideas of the other. They do not like each other but after being placed in close proximity, the bantering and competing ignited hidden sparks that could not be avoided. Surrounded by family and close friends; especially the 2 very solid and loving couples, the Highlands witnessed yet another cute and unlikely pairing and the read was at times bittersweet but overall funny and enjoyable.

I just reviewed Highland Whirl by Anna Larner. Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.

For some reason I missed the first book but since it involves the Highlands and the plot seemed interesting enough I decided to read out of order for once. That is not an issue with this book, the writer manages to recap her previous book pretty well so even though I can imagine you have a stronger connection to the couple in the first book (half of which is the best friend of one of the mains in this one) if you've read that one, it's definitely not necessary to read in order to enjoy Highland Whirl.
I've seen quite a few 5 star reviews but I don't get to the level of enthousiasm those reviewers obviously reached. Don't get me wrong; I enjoyed the book. For the most part. The way the dialogue is written transports you to the area that is written about, I liked the plot involving the neighbours, the small town characters, and the couple from the previous books.
It wasn't until I was quite a bit into the book that I felt I could sort of like the main characters. Rox, the commitment-fobe who travels to the Highlands to visit her best friend Eve for her 30th birthday bash came across as an arrogant, self absobed drunk and Alice was being a rude snob for most of the time. I also didn't get the relationship between the best friends since it only seemed like Rox was a nuisance that needed to be kept an eye on. Luckily later on the writer manages to turn it around and make both characters like-able but because that happened the drama was forced and not consistent with how I was just told their characters *really* were.
So in the end I enjoyed this book, but my issues with the first quarter almost led me to stop reading. I am glad I didn't cause the rest was a lot better. In the end I feel like 3,5 stars is a rating I can stand behind, I had a hard time deciding though.

***Thank you for giving me an ARC to review***

I have mixed feelings about this book. I quickly read the first book before I started this one so I wouldn’t miss anything. I have to say, the first book was a lesson in how not to treat a human. I was hoping this book wouldn’t follow the same story line pattern as the first one and for the most part it didn’t. It kept the good parts for sure. There was lots of description about the culture, nature and the beauty of the Scottish highlands. It was well done and now I am planning a trip to experience it myself. On the other hand there was more unnecessary drama than I needed. It just seemed out of character for the personalities involved. Everyone was so fun and logical, so when the drama came, it just felt forced.

I loved everything about this book. Roxanne and Alice met previously and they didn’t make the best first impression on each other. Rox is going to Highlands for the first time, to her best friend’s birthday. Best friend who is in a relationship with Alice’s step mum. A turn of events makes it that Rox and Alice get to spend a lot of time together and the previous impressions prove to be far from the truth. It was funny and emotional and did I say I loved everything about it? Also I’m quite glad that we got to witness Angus and Elizabeth’s story as well. A heartwarming love story set in the beautiful Highland, definitely recommend a read. And although this is the second book in the series it can be read as a standalone. In fact if you haven’t read the first one it makes you want to do it asap.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bold Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I first saw the cover of this book I thought it would a fun read. And anything set in Scotland has my vote.
Roxanne and Eve have been best friends forever, since Eve met her soul mate Moira and moved from London to the Highlands, Eve just hasn't been the same. she missed her friend so much, so when she is invited to their's to help celebrate Eve's birthday she heads up on the train. However we find out she is reluctant to go because of Moira's, Step Daughter. Alice Campbell.

What I didn't know is there is a previous book in this series called 'Highland Fling' which takes place around how Moira and Eve met, and the tense relationship between Rox and Alice. The fact I didn't read the first book didn't really matter as the author manages to recap the information we need to know to form the story.

This is a really lovely book, set in some amazing locations. I loved reading about it's location to Drumnadrochit as I have visited it and Loch Ness previously. so it was lovely to reminisce as I was reading. The addition of the other characters especially Elizabeth and Angus was lovely, and turned a romance into a book about love, friendship and a tight nit community to come together to help others. I will definitely look out for the authors future books.

This book is set in Scotland. Roxanne goes to a birthday party for her close friend Eve. There she meets Alice and the story begins. The characters are wonderfully written and the plot is good. The development of the characters shows their strengths and weaknesses. The characters around Roxanne ad Alice are also well written and show their different characteristics.
The story is warm and loving with some drama included. Everyone has a strength and weakness and helps in the developing story of bravery and love.
I recommend this book for romance readers I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Great Scott! this is a good read

This book was such a surprisingly good read and I stayed way past stupid o’clock to finish it.

Highland Whirl is the second book in the series set in the same location(s) as the first one (Highland Fling). For the most part many of the characters seem to be the same as well. I haven’t read the first one, but it was fairly easy to follow the happenings since each scene and relationship was given enough context to figure out what had gone on in the first (and by the looks of things the first book seemed to be choc full of drama and angst phew!)

In this book the story focuses on Roxanne and Alice, who by all accounts seem to have had a rough relationship in the first book (things were said and done) that left them on barely talking terms. Rox is this devil may care character who is a big softy inside and Alice is way too uptight with a judge-y exterior but has a weak spot for friends and kindness. I really liked how these two characters developed in the story moving from preconceived assumptions to just learning about each other. They talk and the readers are brought along and can see the vulnerability and emotional development each character experiences. This was skillfully accomplished by Anna Larner without making it soppy and boring.

There is a second sliver of story with two senior side characters and their mental and physical health. The impact on their own lives and those around them is captured really well. It brings a lot more depth to the story. I also loved the relationship between Eve and Rox - we often can be ignorantly & brutally honest with the ones we love and forget how words that may have been true in the past are doubly hurtful when the person is trying to change. This sentiment is captured so wonderfully by Anna Larner and is just one of those things that make this book standout.

Anna Larner made me want to redouble my efforts to go to Scotland and experience the highlands. I absolutely loved her descriptions of Newland and the dialogue styling made it so easy to hear the wonderful lilt of a scotch accent.
Highly recommend this book 4.5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

NB: free copy received for honest review

Thoroughly enjoyable lesbian romance. Loved the "wee eejit" Roxanne and her quirky approach to life. Enjoyed the ancillary characters too, and how Roxanne's involvement with them helped to develop her burgeoning and unexpected relationship with the one person she'd been dreading spending time with.

Good fun, with several moments where I laughed out loud, and also some touching sequences as the cast deal with the realities of having aging family members.