In this latest book by Julie Shackman, we follow the story of Elle Cassidy and her grandmother Clara, two woman trying to navigate through life after the recent loss of Elle's parents in an accident. Elle makes the decision to keep her parents memory alive by reopening their shop but finding it too painful to keep it as a newsagents, she instead decides to open it up as a stationary shop. It's near the shop where events really start to happen, a near miss car accident, a chance meeting, a mystery woman and a possible curse! Intrigued? Read for yourself to see just what happens next.

Based on the title, I was looking forward to a charming Scottish setting for this cozy mystery. Sadly, the story felt like it could've been set just about anywhere in the world. While part of a series, it can be read as a standalone novel. Ellie is a strong, independent character who is easy to root for. Some sensitive, and deep, topics are addressed in a tactful manner. There was a bit more romance and less mystery than I was hoping for or expecting with this one.

A lovely easy read that is linked to a series, but can be read as a standalone. Elle is a strong character who is determined to get over her grief. This book touches on some deep themes but handles them in a way that makes it tolerable to read about. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to going back to read the others.

This was a lovely, if predictable, book set in the Scottish Highlands. It was entertaining and well-written - a good dose of romance with a little mystery thrown in for good measure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book was not what I expected. I want to read anything Scottish, so I expected a lovely Scottish setting. This book could have easily been set in my hometown. The story felt bland, and I could not identify myself with any of the characters at all. All of this combined made it very hard for me to enjoy the story at all, I'm saddened to say.

A Scottish Country Escape, by Julie Shackman, is a lovely sweet romance that is very readable. Shackman has created the perfect light read that is also impossible to put down. The characters come across as very real and relatable. Elle has good friends and acquaintances, who offer support and help. Her gran is also a big support. There is no real mystery in this novel, and there is no surprise about how this novel will end. But I did like the focus on healing after loss and the damage wrought when people are unable to heal from deep grief and guilt.

I appreciated that this cozy mystery did not use the usual cliches--book store, library, book club, cat, or small dog. Instead, Shackman created a more original plot. The use of magic was initially off-putting, but I realized early on that some curses can also be effective as merely the suggestion of the curse. For most of A Scottish Country Escape, readers wonder if the curse is real or if it is simply enough to think there is a curse.

Thank you to the author and to One More Chapter Harper Collins UK for this ARC to read and review. My comments and review are my honest responses to this book. I enjoyed this novel. And a huge thank you to NetGalley for introducing me to another enjoyable novel.

This is a good book. I enjoyed the flow of the story, it had well rounded robust characters, a good dose of fun and romance and is a all round general good read.

Thanks to Netgalley and One More Chapter Harper Collins UK for this ARC! This was a good and fun novel set in the Scottish Highlands. I didn’t realize until after beginning to read this novel that it was part of a series. I would definitely love to find and read the rest of the series and reread this after that! Great read!

Enjoyed this lovely light hearted read, it kept me interested with the story line and I will certainly keep an eye open for other books from this author.
As always a big thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for the early read.

A very enjoyable easy read book with interesting characters and a beautiful setting. I liked Elle and her ‘can do’ attitude, I also loved the relationship she has with her grandmother and friends. With the loss of her much loved parents in a car accident Elle decides to turn her parents newsagents shop into a stationery shop called Paper Roses. When she is nearly run over by an arrogant best selling author who has just moved into the village Elle’s life becomes even busier. As well as running a new business she finds herself trying to save the local nature reserve as well as helping Dexter, the author, to remove his writers block. There’s a mystery to sort out and a bubbling romance - so much in one book

Bestselling author Julie Shackman returns with a beautiful new spring romance set in the Scottish Highlands, the 4th book in the Scottish escapes series. This brand new novel will be published March 16, 2023. I would like to thank Netgalley and One More Chapter Harper Collins UK for the review copy I received.

We meet Elle Cassidy after a heartbreaking family tragedy. Determined to overcome the grief, she decides to reopen her late mother’s newsagency in the quiet Scottish town of Fir Haven. With help of her grandmother Clara she turns it into a stationery shop called Paper Roses.
At the day of the opening, Elle and local resident Linda Carlucci almost get run over by handsome but arrogant crime writer Dexter Grayling in his brutal sports car. He just moved to town and soon discovers that ms.Carlucci in her anger over the almost-accident, put a spell on him, giving him writer's block.
Dexter asks for Elles help to locate ms.Carlucci and even though she finds him arrogant and self-absorbed she has to put aside her dislike to help him uncover the mystery about what is really going on with the Carlucci's. But there is a lot more to Elle's beloved Fir Haven as she soon will realise.

Last year I read The cottage in the Highlands, the 3rd book in the Scottish escapes series. The cosy mystery feelgood style captured me and soon after I read the first two books as well. Ms. Shackman writes about what she knows and loves. As a former journalist, she builds great stories with a lot of love for details. The pace of the story is a bit slower than you might expect with so many things going on, but that's what makes it cosy. She takes time to perfectly paint a picture and set surroundings. She carefully crafts the puzzle that solves the mystery and I think that is brilliant. The characters have different layers and develop along with the story. As they get to know eachother, so do you. The plot has some interesting twists I never saw coming. Although cosy and not fast paced, the storylines are quite full. You have enough going on to stay interested. There are some secrets in this story and the paranormal twist is very original and well worked out.

Summarizing, Julie Shackman knows how to tell a great story, I said it before and she delivers again. She really takes you to Scotland as it is so well written and detailed, you feel like you are there yourself. The characters steal your heart and you can relate to most of them. The dialogues are spot on, sharp and witty. Everything is crafted with much love for detail and no haste, the romance included. The mystery and the paranormal twist is what makes this story really stand out.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Elley decides to reopen her mothers store with a new twist. She later meets an author who she takes a quick dislike of. He is unable to write and is unhappy in his life because of it. I liked this book.

This was a lovely, light romantic read with a touch of magic. Beautiful setting, likeable characters and a happy ending. A perfect read to escape the winter doldrums...

A fun, lighthearted book, although a little predictable in plot and outcome. I did like the descriptions of the area, although was really unsure why an area with grey squirrels would be so great, or seeing them so interesting, as they are pests and carry diseases that kill our native squirrels; Scotland has RED squirrels, along with lucky parts of England, and it would have been so much more interesting, and a really strong reason for people to get involved in saving the area, if it had RED SQUIRRELS. That lost it a star for me!

A Scottish Country Escape by Julie Shackman

Thank you Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. Here is my honest review.

Elle lives with her grandmother Clara in Fir Haven. She has lost both of her parents in a car accident about a year ago. It has been tough and she is finally starting to find her way back. Her parents owned a newsagent but Elle feels it’s too many memories to keep it going so she decided to turn it into a Paper Roses Stationary shop. She has a lot of help from her grandmother and her friends.

On the opening day of her shop she and a woman Mrs Carlucci are almost run over by Dexter Grayling who is an internationally known writer and has recently moved into town. Dexter doesn’t know that Mrs Carlucci in her anger put a spell on him, A spell that gives him the writer's block. He is now a writer who can not write.

After the near accident Mrs Carlucci disappears and when Dexter finds out what she has done the quest to find her starts.

I find this book to be quite slow paste. I loved the warm relationship between Elle and her grandmother and all the love Elle gets from her friends. I enjoyed that we get to see Dexter turn from a grumpy man to a nice and lovely man as this mystery romance unfolds itself.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collons Uk for letting me read this Arc. I really enjoyed Elle as a character and her stationary store Paper roses. However, I was not a fan of her relationship with Dexter the crime writer. I didn't find a pivotal point in the book where their relationship bloomed and made sense to me. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the book and the curse but I found the romance to be a little lackluster.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I enjoyed this light hearted read with a touch of mystery thrown in for good measure!

Elle lost her parents and then her boyfriend. Now all she has left is her grandmother, her family home and her mother’s store. But now it’s time to get back to life after more than a year of grieving, so she decides to reopen her mother’s store as a stationery shop. That’s enough change for now. Then a new resident almost urns into her and the council is planning to sell the local reserve to developers. It looks like more change is coming Elle’s way wether she likes it or not.

Between trying to help the new arrival find an elusive local woman who he believes put a curse on him and trying to save the reserve while opening a new business, Elle’s hands are full. Sometimes life has plans of its own and all you can do is go along for the ride, as Elle finds out. But then again, sometimes life knows what’s best for you and Elle is about to find that out as well.

A good read and a great way to “Get away” for awhile. I enjoyed the story and would gladly read another from this author.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I really enjoyed this light hearted feel good book, great characters and a great storyline.

I enjoyed A Scottish Country Escape, although part of a series this can be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel.
Elle tragically lost her parents in a car crash in the Scottish Highlands and she’s now dealing with the aftermath of their death and wading through her grief and mourning the loss of her relationship with her ex Lloyd by doing what she does best – keeping busy!
She’s decided to transform their family newsagents into a stationery shop with the help of her grandmother Clara.
Her first encounter with well-known crime writer, Dexter Grayling, who has just moved into Fir Haven is when he almost runs her and another woman over in his car!
Soon after the incident he suffers a bad bout of writers’ block of the likes he’s never known and he’s determined that Elle helps him to hunt down Mrs Carlucci to lift this curse she’s put on him!
While on this strange quest to track down the elusive Mrs Carlucci the duo uncover secrets of Fir Haven’s past and Elle juggles Paper Roses and her mission to save the much-loved nature reserve from ruin.
There’s inevitably and predictably, a romance aspect and some of the dynamics are interesting and the relationship between Elle and her grandmother is heart-warming.
There’s plenty going on in the plot with humour interspersed which I enjoy.

I didn’t find it fast-paced and at times a little frustrating but I enjoyed getting to know the community of Fir Haven, Elle’s friendships and the blossoming romance with Dexter!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, One More Chapter for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.