When Sophie Harkness resigns from her role as wedding planner at the prestigious Castle Marrion she follows her heart and opens a crockery shop in the small Scottish town of Briar Glen. Sophie's love of fine porcelain comes from her maternal grandmother who also had a love for teapots, cups and saucers, so when an unusual antique tea set is left at Sophie's shop, it sparks an interest in the past and the need to get to the heart of a mystery.

I enjoyed this feel-good story, I mean what's not to like about a story filled with beautiful items of crockery and with an enigmatic arts expert who makes Sophie's heart flutter, Xander North definitely adds that element of will, they won't they to the story. I liked how the author brought the strands of the past into the main body of the story especially learning more about Sophie's grandmother and of the sad secrets of the antique tea set which added a nice touch of both history and mystery.

A Scottish Highland Surprise is a gentle story which has all the right elements to entertain and brighten up a dull afternoon.

A Scottish Highland Surprise is a great read with varying layers that made it the perfect uplifting story for a weekend read. The mystery surrounding a tea set certainly grabbed our attention here at Great Reads & Tea Leaves as it is just so unique. So add into that mix the beautiful Scottish Highlands with a sprinkling of romance and it proved a most enjoyable read.

‘Grandma had taught me from an early age about the delicate beauty of crockery, its often fascinating history and the sheer delight of indulging in a cup of tea from a dainty cup and saucer.’

It is always appreciated when authors add in layers to the prescript formula for this genre, it helps provide more depth. Yes, there is a love triangle and some romance; yet it was the other elements that lifted this novel and is sure to engage readers. The relationship between Sophie and her grandmother was heartwarming, especially with their shared love of tea sets. The story really revolves around the mystery surrounding the unusual tea set and accompanying letter with flashbacks to the past. The way Julie weaved all the elements together was well done.

This was a sweet story and I loved the many facets - mystery, intrigue, locale, romance and not forgetting the exquisite tea sets. All you need to do now is make yourself some tea and enjoy the story.

“Right. That’s a plan then. Anybody for a cuppa?”




This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

A dash of romance, a dash of mystery and oodles of feel-good vibes, A Scottish Highland Surprise by Julie Shackman is a charming and delightful read.

The story is divided into three parts. Sophie's life, her gran's past and the tea set owner's past (in the form of letters.) Turns out, Sophie's gran had quite an interesting past - hiding her employment from her husband to her love for crockery.

Sophie's story is all about her curiosity to learn more about the mysterious tea set and its owner, learning Xander's past, almost falling in love with the wrong guy and of course, her journey from wedding planner to crockery shop owner.

As a mystery lover, I really liked the story behind the mysterious tea set. Also, the good-guy/bad-guy scenario (Jack and Xander) kept me guessing for more - who would finally win the 'game?' only time will tell... Sophie was betrayed in love once and she does not plan to fall in love with the wrong guy again. But, looks like things are going sideways once again..

I read this book in one sitting. I absolutely loved the story. The writing is simple marvelous and the characters are likable. I found the story to be charming and heart-warming. I am looking forward to reading more of Julie's works.

I was expecting this book to more of a Romantic novel but instead it had more of a mystery and family secrets plot. It as enjoyable and intriguing to read. There was little romance but was gentle and slow burning. Although I was expecting a different type of storyline this was a good book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

This is a great book. This is a great author. I liked this book. I really liked this book. Should I repeat myself? This is a quick, fun read...I LIKED this book so much. I look forward to more from this author. The main character is quirky and likable...she quits her job and starts a shop, all thanks to the money left to her from her grandmother. There is intrigue...mystery...love and romance...friendship...family dynamics...genealogy...the past...the present...deceit...all in all this is just a good, enjoyable book that intrigued me. Romance with intrigue...no language to avoid...no subjects to skip over. Grab a cup of steaming hot tea with a delicious scone...a warm, colorful afghan...cuddle into a comfy chair and escape into the pages of A SCOTTISH HIGHLAND SURPRISE....a book by a talented and gifted author.

It's a nice mix of sweet romance and cozy mystery that focuses on too many things to truly develop a complete story for all the characters in the number of pages it has. It's more like getting glimpses into different lives that find connections through a love of crockery. Still charming and interesting, just not completely fulfilling.
Sophie is the main protagonist and it's through her that we explore the other stories that, interesting though they are, end up feeling like they just took away from the big romance that Sophie builds up. It just feels like we didn't really get to see her and Xander actually falling in love.
I'm not saying that it wasn't interesting or that I didn't love the glimpses of other lives that make up the bulk of the story that felt as if it was coming from real people, it's just that, in the end, I felt like all I got was glimpses of very engaging stories.
Shackman has a knack for getting you to care about the characters and be engaged in what they go through. Even with getting only parts of the story, I constantly felt pulled to care about what was happening to each character, and I really want to dropkick a certain character's husband for how he kills his wife's dream.
Overall, it's charming if scattered.

Happy thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, and One More Chapter for the charming read!

After quitting her job as a wedding planner at the prestigious Castle Marion, Sophie follows her grandmother's dream of opening a tea shop in her small town. Shortly after opening, a mysterious woman drops off an antique tea set and disappears. Also inside the case is a mysterious letter. Where did this unusual tea set come from? To help solve the mystery, art critic Xander North is brought in. At first surly and critical, Xander expects her to simply be the clueless owner of a quaint small town tea shop, but when she stands up to him and shares her knowledge about the antique, she earns his respect.
The story alternates between the present with Sophie and Xander trying to discover the tea set's origins to the mystery in the past. I find it to be more of a cozy mystery than a romance, especially with Xander going from grumpy to sweet in a snap right at the end of the story.
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

I enjoyed the first half of this book and then was rolling my eyes for the second half. The insta love between two people who had only a couple of conversations was beyond farfetched. You knew exactly who the bad guy was, the guy you were supposed to be rooting for came off as so remote (and he had no backstory to help with that) that you didn't care about him at all, The MC was strong and able to stand her ground in the beginning and then she turned into a wishy-washy person after quitting. I didn't like the personality shift.

Didn't like Grandma's story. Didn't like her, her husband or her love interest. The mystery is the only thing that kept me moving along in the book or else I would have DNF'd it.

After losing her job, Sophie opens a shop selling tea sets. When a vintage tea set is dropped off at the shop, she tries to unravel the mystery behind it. Will Xander or Jake be able to help her, or is she stuck in the middle of their feud?
Fun read.

I enjoyed this book very much. A fun and easy read that captivated me from the start.

I loved the mix of present and past and the way the story unfolds with the bond between Sophie her grandmother and tea.

With a touch of romance as well, you be love to sit with a cuppa and enjoy this lovely written book.

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

Sophie works as an event planner at Castle Marrian. But one day she’s out of the job for not giving in to what a bride wanted.

Then she finds out that her grandmother who loved crockery like her, has not only left her some very expensive tea sets, but she’s also bought a shop for Sophie so that she can begin her own business. As she begins to get the shop ready in time for opening day, a woman leaves a really beautiful tea set which looks like it’s an antique with her, and in the lining of the case is a letter.

Sophie contacts Xander, who is a well-known collector as well as a art critic. Sophie wants to find out who the lady was that left the tea set and what the letter means that was with it.

The story has a bit of a mystery feel to it, along with romance. There are also parts of the story which go back in time that explain how her grandmother got those tea sets, and the reason why she wanted Sophie to open a shop.

I was hooked from the beginning, it was lovely to see how both the past and present were entwined together.

Highly recommend this book.

An enjoyable, easy read, a good book to read between more in-depth reads (I like historical fiction) and a bit of fun and romance. This is not my normal genre to read but I like to change things around from time to time.

The cast of characters is good and although some of the story is predictable there is also an element of warmth, mystery and intrigue. So I can say it is fairly well rounded.

I love the Scottish element, the Antique store and art critic Xander. It made for a fun, easy read.

When Sophie quits her job as a wedding planner she opens her own crockery shop with the help of money from her Grandma who had passed away recently. When a mysterious woman leaves a teaset with Sophie she decides to enlist the help of renowned art critic, Xander. Xander is cold and aloof but there is just something about him!
This was a genuinely lovely read which I really enjoyed. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

A Scottish Highland Surprise follows the story of Sophie. She’s a wedding planner at the prestigious Castle Marrion Hotel but when she fails to accommodate a bridezillas unreasonable requests, she finds herself out of a job. Until she discovers her late grandmother purchased her a shop in the Scottish village of Briar Glen. With a passion for crockery Sophie opens the shop and one day is gifted an unusual tea set and with it a mysterious letter. With the help of enigmatic art critic Xander North, she aims to track down the history of the tea set. This was a pleasant and enjoyable read with some lovely characters. I would rate this book 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK One More Chapter and the author for the chance to review.

The kindest thing I can say about this book is that it was not for me. The older I get, the less tolerant I am of fictional heroines who are portrayed as being gullible and ready to put with an incredible amount of nonsense, usually from men. Sophie was one such. On a positive note, she generally managed to hold things together in a professional setting.

I found the writing to be stilted. The lack of use of subject-verb contractions made the dialogue sound rather unnatural. And the plot seemed to be full of artificially constructed moments of drama and tension. This was particularly striking for me in relation to the search for Briar's history. If only the characters had thought to use Scotland's People!

So, no, A Scottish Highland Surprise wasn't for me but it's quite possibly a book that will be enjoyed on holiday for relaxation.

Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for my copy of this book.

Another great cosy romance read that I read in 24 hours. I couldn’t put it down. There’s 3 stories in one, and all link together beautifully, my fav was the one in the 1970’s.

I loved the characters, Sophie was lovely and everyone else (with the exception of Jake) were great. Such a lovely story, who knew there was so much to learn about crockery! Some of the sets described sounded gorgeous and made me want a large cup and saucer for tea whilst reading 😊

Hoping to read more by this author, just fabulous.

Fabulous read!

After her Gran passes away and lays the foundations for Sophie’s dream job she leaves her wedding planning job at a Scottish Castle to pursue her new career. A mysterious lady drops a package which changes her life even further and introduces the frosty Xander North to her.

This book has such a lovely feel to it. I love all the wonderful tea sets and their wide histories. The mystery within the story added another layer of depth and excitement. I loved the layers and characters within the story. It really is a great read and a very satisfying ending too.

This book absolutely must be read with a cup of tea and a biscuit.

This captivating story blew me away! What a delightful history-laced mystery with a dash of charming romance in an adorable Scottish setting! After I finished reading Julie’s novel, my heart was brimming with joy and excitement. I have enjoyed all Julie’s novels but her first A Room at the Manor was my favourite. Well, it was, until reading her newest. Now I have to say A Scottish Highland Surprise has nudged past that one as I believe it is her best writing and story yet. It is perfect from start to finish. I absolutely and whole heartedly mean this: I sincerely loved it! I was pinned to the pages with the mystery, the characters, the whole lot.

Sophie is a wonderfully likeable character. She’s not perfect but she has strong morals and is loyal, hardworking, dedicated and passionate as a person and wedding planner. When her life goes into another direction, thanks to her grandmother Helena, this causes her character development to advance quickly. The intriguing plot sends her and others across some troubled waters but eventually delivers them to a safe harbour. The depth and maturity in Julie’s writing shines through all the original aspects of A Scottish Highland Surprise. I don’t want to give anything away but this is a tight, well-crafted story that covers everything masterfully.

A Scottish Highland Surprise is mostly told by Sophie in first person but there are other devices used to provide insight into Helena’s story. There is something magical about finding letters left by our loved ones. Especially when they are meant for us to read after they are gone. Julie handles this very well and gives her character Sophie this blessed option. It not only provides us, the reader, a special window on the soul of the grandmother but Sophie, too, learns much about her, that even she was not aware of, despite their special connection. The letters are beautifully heart-felt and Helena’s voice comes across authentic and natural, making us feel even closer to her. At least in as much as we can through ideas we have formulated about her as hinted by her granddaughter in conversations and thoughts presented to the reader. Along with the letters, there is apt use of flashbacks of Grandma Helena’s past life. These provide the reader with even more wonderful insight of the character and the reason behind her wishes for her granddaughter. In various chapters, we also are whisked away to the past in third person as the narrator gives us flashbacks in the storyline of Grandma Helena. It allows us to see what has shaped her life, the decisions she made and how these experiences influence the advice she gives her granddaughter.

The whole cast of characters are delightful and fill this setting with unforgettable charm. Then there are the two love interests that Sophie must deal with that leave us and her wondering who is the real prince charming: Xander the Art critic or Jake the artist?

Julie created an amazing trail of breadcrumbs and threw in lots of ingenious twists. The mystery is intriguing and complex and expands into so many areas and lives. Quite a delicious treat reading this story!

I will be singing Julie’s praises forever on A Scottish Highland Surprise for she deserves it. She has done a brilliant job. I had the most wonderful uplifting experience reading it over the weekend. I have given it a 5 Star rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for in my opinion this story deserves it. The author should be very proud of all her hard work. I highly recommend A Scottish Highland Surprise.

Thanks to Julie, One More Chapter and Netgalley for a review copy.

What a fab read. It starts by describing the life of a high end wedding planner who goes on to set up her own business after a legacy from her grandmother. Who would have thought crockery would be so interesting. A slow and steady build up to romance with a mystery to solve on the way.

Firstly thank you netgalley for this early read.
Sophie was a wedding planner at her local hotel - she was much put upon and overworked. Loving her job but getting more resentful and less respected by the hour.
Sophie’s gran has just died and on her day off she goes along to help her parents to box up her man’s belongings.
What’s she finds there addressed to her starts her on a new road.
This is a great read, really enjoyable.