A heartwarming Christmas read with some great characters, and a Christmas romance all set in a castle in Scotland.

Firstly thank you netgalley for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. In this book we catch up with Izzy who we met in a previous book Cosy Cottage in Ireland. Izzy has inherited a castle in Scotland from a great uncle. The castle is in need of repair and to try and maintain its upkeep, she decides to open it up to guests. Before she has had chance to unpack her bag from her visit to Ireland, Izzy finds her mother has already taken in a paying guest even though the castle is in no fit state to do so. The guest in question wants to hide away in the castle and seems quite secretive and even though Izzy really thinks she should ask him to leave, she knows they desperately need his money. A good festive read, new found friendship's, romance and a little mystery.

Izzy has inherited a Scottish castle from her great Uncle. Just finishing culinary school Izzy plans to turn the place into a hotel, catering for all who stay.

But with her Mother interfering, an unexpected guest and only a limited amount of time to get the hotel ready, she has a lot on her mind.

This is a very cosy Christmas romance novel which I enjoyed from the start. Not only are there great characters, each bringing an individual characteristic to the novel but also a great setting.

This book is really well written and is part of a series that I will definitely be picking up.

Holy Jingle Bells!! The Christmas Castle in Scotland is one of the holly, jolliest books I have read this year.

This was one of those books that I had a hard time putting down. I definitely was secretly reading it during work hours, LOL. The Christmas Castle in Scotland is the ninth book in the Romantic Escape series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. This book just grabbed me right from the first chapter. I loved the idea of rushing to renovate an old Scottish castle before Christmas. It really took my love for home renos to a regal level. Julie did a wonderful job at painting this breathtaking Highland setting. I felt like I was there (or wishing I was there). The setting was beautiful, and the village was full of fun and quirky characters. They added a lot of charm and laughter to the story.

The story itself has a nice flow to it. Julie did a great job at throwing in those twists, turns, and some drama at just that right moment. The story is incredibly entertaining and endearing. I also felt this sense of realism when it came to the characters. They all have their flaws and problems, as the story progressed it was nice watching as they worked through them. I really enjoyed all the characters. They wormed their way into my heart pretty quickly. Readers are probably going to either love or hate Xanthe, who is Izzy’s mom. Xanthe is impulsive, acts and speaks before she thinks, and is oblivious to everything and everyone around her. I had mixed feelings about her character. On the one hand, her antics were highly entertaining, and then, on the other hand, she was super frustrating. I struggled with the mother-daughter relationship that Izzy and Xanthe had. Xanthe was so unaware of her daughter’s feelings at times that I wanted to shake some sense into her. But as the story progresses and I listen to how Izzy talks about her mom, I realize that all of Xanthe’s actions are done with a good heart. She truly loves her daughter in her own quirky way.

Fans of forced proximity will love the romance between Izzy and Ross. Their relationship flirts between friends and lovers throughout most of this book. Izzy is coming off a bad relationship and isn’t looking for love, but she has difficulty ignoring her attraction for Ross. The problem is that Ross is constantly sending her mixed messages. Are they friends, lovers, or just two strangers living in the same castle? My heart went out to Izzy, for having to be in that constant yo-yo relationship with Ross would be hard. I feel like I must say Ross is a sweet and caring guy, and I liked his character. Who wouldn’t like a ruggedly handsome highlander in a kilt? There are reasons (you will have to read to find out what they are) why he acts the way he does around Izzy. But Lord, when they have those swoony moments and just connect with each other, it really gets my heart pitter-pattering. And the ending might have had me giggle like a schoolgirl.

If you are looking to escape to the highlands this Christmas season, I would highly recommend reading this book. You won’t be disappointed.

Thank you HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and Rachel Random Resources for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The romantic escapes series delivers what the title says romance and escape to somewhere new. This time there's a festive twist as this story is set in the snowy Scottish Highlands in Winter in the run-up to Christmas. Izzy has inherited a rundown but iconic Castle in Scotland, which she hopes to renovate and run as a boutique bed and breakfast. When she returns from a cookery course in Ireland, she finds her mother has already installed a paying guest and invited others for the festive season. Worryingly the castle is more rundown than she first thought.

It's a cosy tale of food, festivity and friendship with a gentle romance and a mystery to solve. The characters are bold and, in the case of Izzy's mother, a little irritating, but they all add to the story. The vibrantly described setting makes it easy to visualise and is an excellent way to spend a winter's afternoon.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Izzy McBride inherits a Castle in Scotland and she is going to turn it into a bed and breakfast but first it needs some renovations. Little does Izzy know her mother has already let out a room to thriller author Ross Adair. As the snow starts to settle like frosting on a Christmas cake it's a race to get the castle finished before they get snowed in.

This book has all the makings of a good story love, romance, laughter, Christmas, intrigue, food and snow. This book is part of a series which I only just realized ,it's the first one I have read so I feel it can be easily read as a standalone with no issues. The author has a unique writing style which I enjoyed and I would love to see this book made into a movie. This was a joyful read.

Yet another fabulous book by Julie continuing the Romantic Escapes series. All of the books have been comfortable, easy reading and this one is no exception.

This book is part of the Romantic Escape series of books. They are all standalone books though, with the occasional characters popping up from previous books. This book features Izzy who briefly appeared in the previous book which was set in Ireland
I loved the setting of this book, a castle in Scotland is always going to appeal to me, I love reading books set in Scotland. Add some snow and you have a fantastic festive read.
I absolutely loved reading about the food in this book, Julie Caplin always writes a lot of details about food. It definitely makes you hungry.
This is not my favourite book in the series, but it is enjoyable and heartwarming. Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

A lovely, heartwarmig, holiday romance. Very Christmassy, with snow, the highlands, good food, family and friends. The perfect read to curl up on the sofa with and spend a few hours of pure escapism!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A beautiful read for Christmas. I love Julie Caplin stories and this one is magical. The castle at Christmas sounded beautiful and I loved how the story shows off the majesty of the surroundings as well as bringing the castle to life. Wonderfully warm characters fill the pages and I especially loved the larger than life Xanthe and her over the top extravagances. The perfect festive romantic read.

It's okay. That pretty much sums up how I felt about this book once I turned the last page.
There's nothing wrong with it and the story is entertaining, it just doesn't add anything new to the genre. It's basically a Hallmark Christmas movie in book form, complete with men in kilts, a jilted woman declaring herself over men but opening up to love once again, and a found family.
Izzy is likable and she's surrounded by interesting characters, including a mom that I found super annoying but she loves anyway. The love interest, Ross, is too perfect to be real, but that's pretty much the point. And the idea of Christmas in a Scottish castle surrounded by family and friends is delightful, which is exactly how it's played out.
My one big gripe is that Ross' "true" identity is given away in the book description and it would have been so much better left off as a surprise within the plot, which it still kind of is, but I already knew it from reading the description.
Overall, it's a light romantic read to get you in the holiday spirit.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the early read!

What an inheritance - a Scottish Castle in need of repair
Izzy and her Mum are settling there
Striving to set it up so they can stay
Hoping to make it a place for others to holiday.

Izzy returns from her cookery course in Ireland
Wondering just what her Mum will have planned!
She never expected someone to be staying there
Or for her Mum to have her feeling she needs to beware!

With the pressures to get everything ready for guests to stay
With a leaking roof and so many bills to pay
Can they get everything fixed and sorted
Or will their dreams and plans be thwarted?

With plenty of surprise arrivals, new guests and more
As well as a budding romance it is difficult to ignore.
There's also a mystery with treasure to be sought
And a would be love who doesn't want to be caught.

With eccentric Mums, and wild campers, too,
Along with the locals and lots to do.
This is a delightful fun read full of laughter
As Izzy hopes to live in the castle happily ever after!

A lovely festive read with snow and goodwill
And tasty treats to tempt you to eat your fill!
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
Such a gorgeous read and this is my honest review.

I loved this cosy Christmas story. Izzy has inherited a castle from her uncle. She has plans for the castle but upon her return she finds an unexpected paying guest is staying.
The characters truly get under your skin (in a good way) and I found myself smiling at each of their ways.
A fantastic story of friendship, helping each other out, hidden sapphires and of course a little romance.
I really hope there is another story about the castle as I would love to read what becomes of Izzy and her plans for the castle.

Izzy has inherited a castle in Scotland, and decides she wants to turn it in a hotel. She is thrown in at the deep end when her eccentric mother Xanthe takes in a paying guest without consulting Izzy...then springs on her that she has taken on a further booking over Christmas. Izzy knows she isn't ready, but can they get the hotel in a habitable state in time?

A quick Wintery read, with lots of fun characters and storylines. I liked the way it followed on from the author's previous book without relying on the reader to know that story - characters appear from that story, but it is not essential to have read that book first. It also nicely leads into the next story, by introducing a major character here.

This was a wonderful escape read, and gave me all the Monarch of the Glen vibes!! The setting, the characters, the circumstances - it was just one of those stories you lose yourself in and don't want to end!

Izzy finds herself inheriting a castle in Scotland from her Great Uncle, which comes as a huge shock. Her life was spent in Ireland at cookery school, so this was going to be a big change for her. - You never know what's around the corner!!

And the fun begins when she moves to the castle and sees the task ahead of her! Lots of repairs are needed, and there's already someone else moved in as her mother, who is a law unto herself and a great character!, has rented a room to an author who wants solitude to write his latest book!

They uncover stories about the house leading to a treasure hunt and I loved the mystery behind it all, alongside the romance, laughs and drama as they learn more about one another! Lots of fun and I look forward to going back and reading more from this author!

A perfect Christmas read. Izzy inherits a gloomy old castle in disrepair in Scotland. On arrival she finds her irrepressible mother has organised a Christmas week booking so they have to get organised . There is also the mysterious man her mother has rented a room to and Duncan ‘the old retainer’ . Characters appear in all directions as Izzy extends her castle family to make it a Christmas to remember

I requested this book because I wanted to enjoy a Christmas story and travel without moving my feet. I adored the Scottish setting and happy ending, however, this book missed the mark for me overall.
Izzy inherits a castle in the Scottish Highlands, and to keep the castle, she tries to turn it into a hotel. Her first (surprise) guest, Ross, is there when she arrives and from there on out, Izzy has to overcome obstacles to host the perfect Christmas.
The characters were a little wishy-washy, and the writing itself was a little jolting for me. For those who enjoy romance, this is a closed-door slow burn and I really enjoyed Ross's growth as a character.
Izzy was character whiplash, and her mother, Xanthe, gave me anxiety.
It's a short, easy read and I was able to reminisce in Edinburgh and Fort William since I was recently there! Also, the mention of Jamie Fraser and Diana Gabaldon's Outlander made me chuckle, because like Izzy, I love Jamie Fraser!

Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, and One More Chapter for my eArc in exchange for an honest review.

A wonderful, cosy Christmas story filled with family, friends, humor, hidden treasure and romance.
The setting is in a Scottish Castle that Izzy has inherited. She decides to renovate the castle into a bed and breakfast. Issy’s mother, Xanthe, is a bit of a character who is helping her get everything ready. Though she is proving to be more a pain in the neck when she invites guests to come stay before the remodeling is completed.
Though the pacing was a bit slow at times, I really enjoyed The Christmas Castle in Scotland.
Perfect book to get you into the Christmas/Holiday season!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this book! It’s a beautifully written romance set in the stunning highlands of scotland. The descriptions made me feel I was a fly on the wall. Sit down with a cup of hot chocolate and prepare to be transported.

Christmas at a castle in Scotland would seem to be an idyllic scene, but Izzy is trying to make a go of turning the inherited castle into a hotel. She has discovered that her ‘money pit’ may not make it if she and her mother can’t finish the decorating and repairs in time for the guests booked over Christmas. Fortunately, they receive some unexpected help and Izzy finds herself drawn to another early guest, a secretive professor, Ross, who is writing a book.

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for letting me read and review an advanced copy of this book. I loved the setting in Scotland, the timeframe at Christmas, and all the ups and downs that Izzy faced trying to plan the meals and getting the castle ready for Christmas. The cast of characters were very engaging and entertaining.