Another utterly fabulous book written by bear selling author Julie Caplin. The thing about Julie is that she really does know how to make the settings of her books come to life. I felt like I was in Scotland with the characters watching the drama and romance unfold. There was also a lovely Christmas spirit running throughout that I also loved. Another great book. Well done Julie.

I couldn't get enough of this book, I really wanted it to go on and on forever as I was enjoying it that much. It's Julie Caplin at her very best.

It's warm and cosy, its a hug of a book filled with nourishing food, a castle that is being turned into a hotel, a delightfully eccentric Xanthe (well she doesn't like to be called Izzy's mum), an unexpected lodger, other waifs and strays, and lovely feeling of Christmas too.

All set in the snowy Scotland highlands and the castle even comes complete with Duncan, who speaks with a thick local dialect, that I could hear clearly in my head (but since I'm bad with accents, would have been awful had I tried speaking it allowed). This really does feel remarkably Scottish, and thankfully barely a bagpipe in sight.

Definitely some kilts though, but first we have Izzy who has just done a cookery course in Ireland, and is the new owner of this castle. While she has been away Xanthe has been busy, with some good and some more stressful surprises.

I felt transported to that castle, I could picture it so clearly, including the treasure hunt (which I had a strong inkling about), and all the decorations. And I loved all the interactions between Ross and Izzy. Actually I just loved all the characters.

It's another wonderful romantic escape from an author who combines destinations and food so so well wrapped up with some romance. Just simply delightful.

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Izzy doesn't expect to inherit a castle from her uncle, but not only is it hers, her eccentric mother has already rented it out--for a great sum.

But the castle needs a lot of TLC and Izzy is in a race against the clock to see if she can get it ready in time for her guests.

I LOVED everything about this book, especially the voice. Xanthe is a riot! It's the perfect--well what's the opposite of a beach read? A fireplace book? The perfect read for curling up with this winter. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. Not only are her covers adorable, but the stories are just so much fun.

Special thanks to Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter for inviting me to read this book in exchange for a review through NetGalley.

I normally don't read contemporary novels. Life is tough enough without reading about other people's problems. What attracted me to this one is that I love anything set in Scotland and also in a castle and I'm so glad I read it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Izzy inherits a castle in Scotland and goes to live there with her mother, Xanthe. She intends running it as a hotel as it has to pay it's way. When she returns from her cookery course she discovers her mother has already taken a paying guest even though this was not the plan. Then Xanthe takes a large booking for Christmas, which is just weeks away.
Izzy is a lovely, likable person and I was rooting for her all the way. She has a very trying time with Xanthe, who is away with the fairies most of the time but she loves her dearly. She's a very funny character and definitely adds a light heartedness to the story but if she was my mother I'd be sorely tempted to throw her off the battlements!
We have the stereotypical tall, dark brooding hero which I get tired of in books. He annoyed me at times. He was friendly and amiable and then cool and distant and this happened quite a lot.
There is a great mix of side characters. Some are gathered up as the story progresses, other's are there from the start. The description of Christmas day in the castle was wonderful.
I' think this book would be lovely to read at Christmas, sitting at a roaring fire with a hot toddy in hand.
Would recommend it!

Good read. Great characters, enjoyed the setting, lots of side stories weaved into it and it flowed really well. A good read for a rubbish day. Will make you feel better!

A beautifully written book. Set in glorious Scotland, the tartan, tablet and turkey sound fabulous. I love the relationship between Izzy and her mum Xanthe, she is overbearing but gloriously joyful. This book was just a joy and very festive. I really recommend it. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This holiday romance is a part of the Romantic Escapes series, but can definitely be read as a standalone. When Izzy inherits a castle in Scotland from her great uncle and she and her mum decide to turn it into a hotel, not everything goes as planned.

Overall this was a good, Hallmark-like, holiday romance, but I just couldn’t get into the first half. The second half of the book had me hooked, but getting there was a bit of a struggle. Part of my problem is I’m not a huge fan when the dialogue is full of slang terms from different countries that I don’t know. I totally understand why it’s written that way, but for me personally it stops the story from flowing when I’m trying to figure out what I’m reading. I enjoyed the characters and their interaction with each other and I did enjoy this book, but I the first half was slow going for me. I do think this was a good holiday romance and it’s worth giving it a chance, unlike me, you may get into it from the very beginning.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

This is only the second Julie Caplin book I have read but I think the titles and covers give you a good indication of the content. It's full of snow, whisky, sumptuous food, Christmas stockings hung by the fire, dour but lovable family retainers, and a big old dollop of romance.

This is a really cute christmas story, definitely on the light and comforting side.

No overly tragic topics mixed in, but rather a slew of minor and major inconviniences and misunderstandings. A lot of the conflict isn't actual arguing or similar, but just people with very different character styles.

I liked the happy and friendly athmosphere in here, even though I personally found it just a tad too sweet and happy go lucky. Everyone of the main cast seems just wonderful and perfectly suited to what was needed. All problems similiarly seem to be easy enough handled.

The utterly beautifuk setting and getting the run of a whole castle definitely made up for feeling a bit shallow here and there. Scotland is so pretty and the acccents and scenery just bleed from the page. It made me so very nostalgic for our holidays there, and instantly had me in a dreamy mood!

If you're looking for an easy comfort read, something fun, light and enteratining, without any big time drama - this will be a perfect choice to leave you with a warm winter glowl.

A great romantic escape. A Scottish castle, a new owner ready to turn it into a hotel, an impulsive mother. Add men in kilts, and a fabulous Christmas dinner.. and don’t forget the good food!

Like reading a cute quick Christmas Hallmark love story movie. Love the setting and heck, would love to see it as Hallmark movie! Could use a touch more spice, very clean PG rated.

For an ARC review, the cover feels off. Maybe have more a castle view with the loch and landscape… the 2 blue chairs, table and tree aren’t needed.

I so love the Romantic Escapes series and have absolutely no self control or respect for sleep when the next one is published. This one was no exception. The mix of food, friendship, family and love against the backdrop of the countdown to Christmas in an actual castle is hard to beat! There's nothing quite like the writing of Julie Caplin to sooth the soul and give you a calorie free pick me up when you need it. A warm hug of a book, highly recommend.

Julie Caplin has, once again, made me want to go and live in the place she depicts in a book. I loved the castle setting. I was pulling for Izzy to be able to make the castle a success and be able to keep it. Finding a string of sapphires does help, but also her indomitable spirit and hard work steer her towards her goal. Personally, I wanted to see her annoying mother found a cottage in the grounds somewhere, but, hey, I guess Izzy loves her.

Ross Adair was a fascinating hero with his own conflicts and family dysfunctions. I loved the way he gradually came out of his shell (and out of his writing room), drawn to Izzy and wanting to help her.

Five stars from me.

Cute story! I love anything set in Scotland so this wad perfect, plus... Christmas!!! Yay!
As far as the story goes, I do wish there had been more character growth for Izzy - her mother sort of just pushes her around even though Izzy is the owner of the castle.
The relationship between Izzy and Ross is typical of a Hallmark movie, which was fine for me, but I felt like something was missing for them. I still haven't put my finger on what it was though.
The story line with the Carter-Jones family was pushed so hard that I figured something would go horribly wrong - predictable - but again nothing wrong there. Then the story line with the jewels... I do wish there had been more of a "whoa" moment but as soon as the Claymore and it's need to stay in the family came out I knew the sapphires had to be tied to it somehow... Again, predictable - but still okay.
The book had its sweet moments and it was a really easy read. Definitely a good book to have as a time filler during the Christmas holidays!

Another hard to put down story about Christmas in an idyllic setting. This one had plenty of amusing moments and was an excellent read as the story developed. Worth reading.

As always with the series I loved the setting and the talk about food. The castle sounds lovely, especially after the renovation. I like the characters and it was nice to see some familiar names from other books. The story made me laugh a few times. Sadly the romance felt lacking. Still a fun read though.

In this holiday romance, Izzy McBride inherits a castle from her great uncle Bill. In preparation to turn this castle into a bed and breakfast, she attends a cooking class so she can serve her guests breakfast and dinner. After completing the course, she arrives at the castle to find that her mom, Xanthe, rented a room to a writer named Ross. He is looking for peace and quiet, and absolutely no distractions while he works on his newest book . This shouldn't be a problem while Izzy and her mom are renovating the castle before the arrival of the Carter-Jones family who is paying a lot of money to be there - money which they need to fix the roof which is in desperate need of repair.

This Christmas book is full of romance, friendships, holiday cheer, snowstorms, and lots of food! I loved the beautiful scenery and the food descriptions throughout this book. There are so many new recipes that I need to try out (once I learn how to cook)! While I liked Izzy and Ross, the supporting characters were some of my favorites. This story would have not been the same without Jim and Jeanette. While Izzy was doing them a huge favor by providing them housing, they were just so grateful and put their all into renovating the house and getting it ready for the guests. They truly cared for the people they were staying with, who they had not known that long, and it was just so wholesome. They had become family in such a short time. Also, Duncan asking to keep the two cows that he had raised from birth is just too sweet!

My main complaint is about the plot. There was so much buildup to the Carter-Jones family arriving for their Christmas stay at the castle, that I was sad they would not be coming to the castle for Christmas anymore. I was anxiously awaiting finding out if they were as high maintenance as it seemed like they would be. And then the family ended up coming at a later date and it wasn't even included in the book. We only got a mention that they would be coming after all. Also, the addition of the character Hattie seemed out of place for the story. I'm not sure what, if anything, she added to the story. After reading the epilogue, I now understand why she was included as a character, but I still think it took away a little from the story by adding a character that didn't exactly make sense.

Overall, it was a cozy, holiday read and I am eager to read more of Julie Caplin's books! Thank you Julie Caplin, HarperCollinsUK One More Chapter, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC for review. Be sure to pick up a copy when this book releases on October 31, 2022!

I received a free copy of, The Christmas Castle in Scotland, by Julie Caplin, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I cannot imagine receiving a castle by a great uncle, or anyone else, but it happens to Izzy. Her mother rents to some pretty strange characters. I really liked this book, a Scottish Castle at Christmas, what could be better?

A book about a group of people preparing an old castle to host a Christmas gathering for a wealthy group. Fun and varied characters and a romantic story. A nice read!

This is a wonderful Christmas story.

It has a real feel good factor, bringing friendship, family and romance together.

What more could you ask for at Christmas time.

A must to read at Christmas holiday time.