Book Review: The Diary from the Cottage by the Loch
Stars: 4 x 5
Author: Kennedy Kerr @kennedykerrauthor
Publisher: @bookouture
Thank you @netgalley for this ARC

Carrie Anderson goes to her great Aunt’s old cottage to recover from an accident that killed her sister. Carrie hopes being at this cottage will help her heal as she blames herself for her sister’s death. The cottage has many happy memories for Carrie as her family use to visit Great Aunt Maud often. Carrie rents the cottage since she is going to stay for a while. She gets a job at a local restaurant in the small village of Loch Cameron. The locals are very welcoming and take Carrie in as one of their own with open arms. Slowly Carrie gets to know the people of Loch Cameron, some she likes and some not so much. She begins to heal and starts to let people back into her life. As Carrie connects with the village people she starts to open up about her guilt. While in Loch Cameron Carrie finds Maud‘s diary. As she reads this diary she starts to learn about Maud and the type of person she was. Carries soon finds that there are second chances for her and even other villagers too.

There is sadness, friendship, loss, healing, regretfulness, love, dreams and especially forgiveness all wrapped up in this beautiful story. Anyone who reads this will connect at some point with on of the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.


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Carrie is devastated and guilt-ridden by the death of her sister. She escapes to a holiday home in Scotland, close to where she spent her childhood. Can the welcoming community help to heal her heart?
The Diary from the Cottage by the Loch is a warm and emotional book about moving on from grief. It is the third book to feature the loch community but the first I have read so works perfectly well as a stand alone book.
Carrie blames herself for the car accident that killed her sister. She has already lost her mother whilst her dad is practically a stranger. She has no-one and nothing. But arriving in Loch Cameron, the locals take her under their wing and she is given her great aunt's diary which contains huge family secrets.
There is also a romantic dimension to the plot as Carrie meets Rory. Their friendship doesn't have the best of starts but there is a spark. He is also dealing with issues from his past and both need to move forwards and think of the future in order to heal. The writing is warm and has a hopeful tone despite the huge emotional issues the characters have to deal with.
The Diary from the Cottage by the Loch is a wonderfully uplifting book about second chances and facing the future.

I am loving this series by Rebecca, it has a great storyline with believable characters. I look forward to reading book 5.

This is the third book in the series but you don't have to read each one, they work as standalone. I've read one other. This book deals specifically with grief and the guilt that can go along with it. Carrie is attempting to run from her life after the death of her sister and goes back to a place where they were happy as children. Past secrets are uncovered and new wounds begin to heal in this story.
The characters are likeable, the setting beautiful, the romance a bit lacklustre but its a story about healing more than romance.
I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A moving story about grief life and putting yourself back together when your whole world has fallen apart.

Carrie Anderson and her sister are on their way to a wedding when they are in an accident and Claire is killed. Carrie goes into a severe depression, blaming herself for the accident, even though she was not driving and the other driver was at fault. Carrie heads to the small village of Loch Cameron and rents a small cottage. This was where she and her family used to go and visit her Great Aunt Maude, where she has happy memories before her mother died. Her aunt is now gone, but she decides to stay awhile. She gets a job working part time in a restaurant, and even starts singing in the choir. When she is given some diaries that belonged to her Great-Aunt, she reads about a secret pregnancy. Could she have relatives she knows nothing about.

The Diary from the Cottage by the Loch is the third book in the Loch Cameron series, but can easily be read as a standalone. My heart broke for Carrie and all she was dealing with. It seemed that she had some PTSD, that was hampering her recovery mentally. I loved how she talked to her sister in her head, and even gave herself advice. Rory, her boss and possible love interest, was another wonderful character. He was also dealing with some baggage from his time in the navy and they had a very interesting relationship. I loved how they helped each other share and heal. I really liked Kennedy Kerr's writing, it flowed wonderfully and there was some great banter between Rory and Cassie. There are themes of hope, encouragement and healing, as well as PTSD, and survivor's guilt. at its core. There is a lot of sadness in this story, but there is friendship, following your dreams, helping each other heal and comes to terms with issues. This is a story of second chances and new beginnings. This is the first book I have read by Kennedy Kerr, but I will definitely be looking for the previous books in this series. I am already looking forward to another visit to this idyllic setting of Loch Cameron.

This is a very moving story about grief and putting yourself back together in the wake of seemingly unbearable heartache. But underneath it all, there is hope. A truly engaging read.

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

After a car crash claims the life of her sister, Carrie takes some time to deal with her grief and heads to a rental cottage in Scotland. She soon finds herself caught up with the people of the village, and in particular Chef Rory. With the discovery of some old diaries belonging to her great-aunt, Carrie comes across a secret which may change her future.

A car crash,
A fatal smash,
One sister died,
The other survived.

Carrie Anderson goes to Loch Cameron to heal
The loss of her sister has made her reel.
She feels guilt and so has gone to stay
Near where they went as children to play.

They stayed with their Great Aunt Maud back then,
But she's passed away, so never again.
Carrie hopes the happy memories of those days
Will help her grief heal whilst there she stays.

The community involve Carrie, taking care,
Helping her heal, just by being there.
A diary left by her Great Aunt has surprises
She wasn't so prim, she soon realises!

A new job, new dreams and chances
There's even the possibility of romances.
A story involving the full gamut of feelings
A roller coaster ride to keep you reeling.

A gorgeous contemporary read in this great setting
I hope for yourself a copy of this book you'll be getting!
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW



Review for 'The Diary From The Cottage By The Loch' by Kennedy Kerr.


Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Kennedy Kerr, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous


Publication date 28th June 2023.


This is the sixth book I have read by this author. It is also the third book in the 'Loch Cameron' series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously 'The House At Magpie Cove', 'Secrets of Magpie Cove', 'Daughters Of Magpie Cove' and 'Dreams Of Magpie Cove' all from the 'Magpie Cove' series and 'The Cottage By The Loch' (book 1 in this series), all of which I would also highly recommend reading.


This novel consists of a prologue, 35 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!


Aww yet another stunner from the extremely talented Kennedy!!! Well done Kennedy on yet another absolutely beautiful and perfect read!! This is the ideal beach read where you could sit there and turn around and just imagine Loch Cameron and Loch Cameron Castle.


The storyline itself completely swept me away. It is filled with love, friendship, escapism, healing, heartbreak, guilt, romance and drama. It kept me turning the pages late at night. I really enjoyed having the insights into Carrie's life and her journey into the stunning Loch Cameron. I absolutely fell in love venturing into Loch Cameron and Kennedy portrays life in a small village absolutely perfectly, bringing the neighbours to life and showing that when you live in a small place everybody knows everybody else's business. Living in a small village myself and, ironically enough, one that also has a castle, Kennedy's descriptions are perfect. In a way I became so invested in this book that it actually felt like going on a holiday and I absolutely dreaded coming to the end where I had to unpack my suitcase and get back to reality. I don't want to say much more about the book as I don't want to give it away but I love the fact that Kennedy doesn't just write the one storyline but there are always several going on and just the right amount so you don't get confused. I loved reading the diary entries throughout and unravelling the mystery of the entries with Carrie. It was an absolutely compelling and addictive heart lifting read that kept me turning the pages until late at night. I loved discovering the pasts of many of the characters and I was absolutely swept away in the story lines. The Castle and Loch Cameron came to life around me and I cannot wait to return in the next book in what promises to be an absolutely stunning series. The ending was absolutely perfect as always with Kennedy and this stunning series. This book would make a beautiful movie!!.
Do not turn a single page of this book until you have cleared your schedules and when you do get ready to go on a stunning holiday you will not want to leave!!

Although this is the third book in the series I had would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.


I became completely invested in the characters, along with the storyline, who were all absolutely fantastic with their own individual personalities and quirks. They have all started feeling like friends so quickly having got to meet so many of them so well. Whenever I finish any of Kennedy's books I feel like I am leaving amazing people and friends and I always feel a bit sad about it but am happy in the knowledge that Kennedy is hopefully writing her next book and bringing them alive as I write this (hint hint Kennedy 😉). I really enjoyed learning some Scottish slang and Gaelic songs along with Hal's war cry and loved that Kennedy explained some words. I loved watching how Carrie's character and personality developed and went from strength to strength from the first page to the last. There so many characters that I loved and cannot wait to meet again. Regardless of whether you love them or hate them these characters all work perfectly together to make an addictive storyline and are realistic of a small community. I cannot wait to meet most of them again in the next book in this series which I really, really, really hope is not going to take too long to come out!!!This is one of those series which could go on and on and I wouldn't get bored. Here's to meeting them all again along with the next new faces of Loch Cameron!!



Congratulations Kennedy on another gorgeous success!!! Looking forward to my next holiday to Loch Cameron!!! This is exactly why you are one of my favourite authors!! If you have never read this book or any books in the Magpie Cove series (which I also absolutely LOVE!!!) pick one up today, you won't regret it and you are definitely missing out if you don't!!



Overall a perfect, stunning, page turning beach read with a great gang of characters that will sweep you away to Loch Cameron from the very first page to the end!


278 pages.


This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £7.99 in paperback (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!


Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.


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It hasn’t been that long at all since the publication of the second book in the Loch Cameron series by Kennedy Kerr so I was delighted to see that book three is already with us. Once again, the author has written another gorgeous book, pure escapism at its very best and The Diary from the Cottage by the Loch proved to be another relaxing and enjoyable read. I found these sort of books ideal for a breather from the huge number of World War Two fiction I read. They are at the complete end of the spectrum and sometimes you just need something that little bit lighter to take your mind off things. Yes, the plot may have been slightly predictable in terms of some aspects of it but that didn’t detract in any way from my enjoyment of the entire story. So much so that I flew through it and read it in two sittings. I sound so far as if this was all light and happiness and that there wasn’t that much depth to this story but the opposite is true as Kennedy Kerr has touched on a topic we can all identify with. That of death and the loss of a loved one although in this case I couldn’t say that I felt the guilt that our main character does.

The story opens as Carrie and her sister Claire are travelling to a wedding in Devon. It’s raining heavily and the roads are narrow. Carrie had asked Claire several times to turn down the music so she could concentrate but Carrie was being obstinate and refused to do so. Unfortunately, the worst occurs, a young driver driving way too fast ploughs into them leaving Claire dead and Carrie with serious injuries. When Carrie wakes up in hospital to learn the news of her sisters passing, she is distraught and inconsolable and a huge wave of guilt descends upon her and one which will prove very challenging to shift combined with the sense of loss and grief she feels. In time, as we get to know Carrie as a character we see that she hides alot of her true feelings as to the reasons for the guilt she feels regarding the loss of Claire. Yes, the fact she wouldn’t turn down the music contributed to the crash but from fairly early on I could sense there were much deeper, darker and heavier things weighing on her mind to do with the relationship she had had with her sister up until the point of her death.

Carrie knows deep down that she hadn’t been a good sister to Claire for many years and now the one family member she had left (their mother had died at an early age and their relationship with their father had disintegrated and was virtually non-existent) is gone and she has no chance to repair their relationship. It’s too late to say sorry. Carrie decides she needs to get away from everything, to take some quiet time for herself for some reflection and healing. She finds a cottage to rent on the shores of Loch Cameron which is owned by Gretchen Ross, who has featured in the previous two books. The cottage is near to where herself and Claire spent holidays with their Great Aunt Maud and she has many happy memories from her time there. ‘It was a familiar place where she could hide away and not see anyone else, if she didn’t feel like it, a place she could be alone and walk in nature without being disturbed. A place she could grieve, and a place that reminded her of happier times’. To be honest my heart went out to Carrie because she was literally torn in two. She was heartbroken and deep down she was also trying to hold together the anger and guilt that she was feeling.The cottage would offer her sanctuary from the human race where she could fall apart unnoticed and then attempt to piece herself back together again but she had a difficult road to traverse in order to reach that point and given she was so fragile and endlessly beat herself up about things I really did wonder whether she would reach that point?

Loch Cameron and its residents are as welcoming as ever. It’s a small town where everyone knows each other, and they are always there for one another in times of trouble or strife. I love how they welcome newcomers with open arms and offer solidarity and support when needed. Carrie takes the opportunity to join the local choir as run by June and this really gave her a much needed outlet. I enjoyed how some familiar faces also made a reappearance as I love to know how they are now getting on as I dislike when in a series there is no mention of previous characters and it’s as if they never existed. But also the introduction of new characters helps keep things fresh and new and interesting for the reader.

Chef Rory McCray literally bumps into Carrie in the village shop and to say things don’t get off to a good start is an understatement as she finds him to be rude and abrasive. But when she meets him for a second time in the inn run by Dotty and her husband Eric, well Carrie views Rory differently and it’s at this point I could see a change in her. There was a stirring of emotions within her and a spark of physical attraction ignited but given how she felt about Claire and the relationship she had had with her partner Graham. I did selfishly think why is it ok for Carrie to start to feel a little bit of simmering romance yet she was horrible when it came to her sister? I felt there had to have been a very good reason for her stance when it came to Claire and Graham. That it better be justified and worthwhile when it did come to light.

Carrie gets a job as a kitchen assistant in Rory’s restaurant and although you can tell that she wants to get closer to him she is reluctant to fully let herself go. Rory too is hiding things although he does reveal that he previously worked in the navy. When Carrie finally feels that she is able to release her emotions and some truths she does so to Rory and I was almost cheering in delight that she had found someone she could confined and perhaps have things develop into something much more and perhaps long term. Overall, I did think the Carrie/Rory thing could have been developed a bit more. He disappears (although an explanation is given) for a good chunk of the book and then when he reappears again it’s like things happened way too quickly but on reflection, I suppose this is the nature of this kind of book.

As for the diary that is mentioned in the title I liked how this came into play in terms of the overall plot and how it really helped Carrie with finding herself again and trying to reach a point where she gained understanding and acceptance. It was an interesting tale as told in the diary which in turn opened up a new and exciting avenue for Carrie. Loch Cameron has strange healing powers and as Carrie travels on her journey of acceptance, healing and self-discovery, it truly was a joy to travel with her. I found her to a character that as a reader I could identify with and that made me care for her more. Despite the sad nature of the main theme of the book, I found this to be a story that will help many and you will root for Carrie every step of the way.Reading the Loch Cameron books is a source of familiarity and comfort for me and I hope there will be plenty more to come in the series.

Grab a box of tissues, your favorite drink and find a comfortable spot, because once you start reading this book you aren't going to want to stop even when your eyes are leaking like faucets! This visit to the Loch will definitely be your most emotional visit and trust me you won't want to miss it. Characters from past books in the series do make an appearance so reading is advisable, but not completely necessary to enjoy this installment in the series. This is the 3rd book, but they are all wonderful. The author creates compelling characters, moving story lines with sub-storylines running concurrent to the primary story to give each book more depth and a stunning back drop to make you fall in love with each book! I am absolutely going to go crazy waiting for the next book in the series to make an appearance!

Carrie Anderson recently lost her sister Claire when they were on their way to a wedding and were in a car accident, Claire did not survive. Carrie blames herself even though it was not her fault. She can’t get past the grief she has from losing her sister, Claire, and is very depressed. She knows that the only place she can heal is at the little village of Loch Cameron. She spent so many summers there with her sister Claire, and their great aunt Maud, when they were young. Carrie arrives at the beautiful little white cottage on the Loch in hopes that just being there is what she needs to process her grief. When she takes a stroll to the local village store she meets Rory McRae who is an ex-Navy Officer and now is a chef. Rory owns a farm-to-table restaurant, when he tells Carrie he is understaffed, she immediately jumps at the opportunity to help him out. This could be exactly what she needs to heal. While at the cottage Carrie finds an old diary belonging to her Aunt Maud. As she reads through the pages written by her aunt after World War Two, she discovers an old faded photograph of a baby boy. Carrie finds healing through the discovery of the diary and linking the past to the present.

The Diary from the Cottage by the Loch written by author Kennedy Kerr was an amazing and enthralling story of the past meets the present. Healing the heart after losing those close to you and finding hope in a new relationship. Sometimes going back is exactly what is needed to move forward. I loved this wonderful story from cover to cover. I always love visiting the quaint village of Loch Cameron. Everything is still so lovely there, from the villagers to the tiny white cottage, to the beautiful views of the sea. I was mesmerized and swept away to the Loch as I flipped through the pages. This unputdownable cozy read was exactly what I needed. If you are in need of an escape to the Scottish sea then this is definitely the book for you. This is the third installment of the Loch Cameron Series but can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend it.

With a tragic loss and a recent discovery, Carrie Anderson revisits a cottage from her past. She has many good memories where she and her sister spent the summers with their great aunt Maud. While staying in the tiny village, Carrie takes on a job working for an aloof restaurant owner. Her suddenly new job and her desire to learn more about her great-aunt definitely keep Carrie busy.

While at the cottage Carrie discovers a diary that was penned by a young woman during WWII. Perhaps by means of this diary Carrie will discover long-held secrets of the past. Meanwhile, Carrie is also trying to find her future.

What a touching story in this excellent third book in the Loch Cameron series. Although each book can be read as a stand-alone! The stories are so warm and inviting and they all come highly recommended. This story delivers powerful messages of healing, hope and love.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

😨Emotion brimming over: great characters, plot🗻

4.5🌟 stars
I really bought into Carrie's emotional journey as she tries to deal with the unsupportable sorrow of losing her sister and best friend Claire in a car crash. This story deals with several stages of her grief and the small Scottish community that rallies around her. I found it heartwarming and really well-written. The prose is straightforward and focused on relationships, past and present.

A discovered diary from the late 1950's left by her great aunt Maud provides Carrie a family puzzle to ponder and provide some distraction from the hole that her sister's passing left in her life. It also gives her a reason to get more friendly with the locals and provides a happy twist, as does Rory, a handsome local restaurateur. While I liked the romantic part of the story, I would have liked more of the romance!

Despite the sadness, ultimately a positive, uplifting novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

An undemanding read. Carrie is grieving for her sister after they were both in a car crash. Carrie returns to a little Scottish village where she stayed as a child with he rGreat Aunt.Maud. After her mother died, her father refused to take the girls to visit again. Carrie goes back to heal from her terrible trauma, a place that holds precious memories of her sister Claire. There is a lively cast of villagers who help Carrie on her journey to healing and wholeness. The discovery of a diary written by her Great Aunt makes Carrie realise that everyone has secrets. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC. All views are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Diary from the Cottage by the Loch. This is the third book in the Loch Cameron series and can certainly be read as a standalone. Each of the stories are heartwarming and uplifting.
In this story we meet Carrie, a young woman that was in a car accident in which her sister dies. She feels great guilt thinking she is the sole cause of the accident. The sisters relationships hadn’t been at its best when the accident occurred. The guilt she feels weighs heavy on her.
This story is full of healing, friendships, uncovering long lost secrets, finding peace within oneself and discovering a way to forgive and move on.
Kennedy Kerr’s writing always flows effortlessly.
Highly recommended reading.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

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

I loved this book.

This is the story of Carrie, her heart is shattered into a million piece, after her sister, Claire is killed during a car crash, and she blames herself for it.

She arrives in Loch Cameron, the place that holds happy memories for her from her childhood.

Whilst there, she uncovers a secret about her Great-Aunt.

But will Carrie make this place her home?

I loved the setting, Scotland was such a gorgeous backdrop.

I highly recommend this book.

This book was very slow to start and from my perspective never took off.
It might be a sweet story but I just didn’t care for it.
I enjoyed book 1&2 but this one felt very piecemeal and slow.

Carrie is grieving. She goes to stay where she hopes to be happy. The cottage by the loch is a healing place. Carrie meets a man. The story moves quickly with realistic characters. This talented author has written a page turner. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the author and the publisher. The diary is another character in a sense. It is my favorite part of the book. Reads ng about the past changes thing in the present. This is a great novel.