Highlands Christmas tells the short story of Melissa and Colin, which I was lucky enough to receive thanks to NetGalley.

☕️ Mélissa has just been left by her husband in the worst possible way: cheating. The next day, she comes across a letter announcing the inheritance of a house in Scotland, which could belong to her. Naively, without further research and seeking to escape her life that is crumbling before her, she leaves the country for Scotland. However, as soon as she arrives at the airport, she meets Colin, who turns out to be her ex-husband's lawyer. What an adon that this same lawyer lives in the very village where her new home is located… ☕️

Highlands Christmas was unfortunately not the book for me. The general idea of the story had a lot of potential, but the writing was very messy. I've rarely read self-published books, but this one lacks a lot of editing. It lacks so much "show not tell" that it feels like a summary of a piece of writing. However, I liked the fact that the author left the suspense of the inheritance hanging until the end. That's honestly what kept me from DNFing this book. ❄️

As the main character is a Christmas lover, this is a perfect book to get into the holiday mood. Even so, the chemistry between the characters is so underdeveloped that it's hard to believe Melissa and Colin are attracted to each other. The dialogue lacked depth and did little to develop the story, not to mention Melissa's totally unrealistic reactions and decisions. Who would abandon everything in her home country to move to a country she's never visited, on a whim, believing a simple letter offering her a voluminous inheritance? Don't leave this woman alone, it makes no sense! 🎄

In short, this book was in my opinion poorly constructed and the story was shallow. 🦌

I love Christmas books in general and I loved this easy read!! I haven't read anything by this author before and I will definitely be reading more.

Enjoyable but something was missing

Melissa, American interior design, is happy. That's until she discovers that her husband has been cheating on her and wants a divorce while keeping their house. Luckily, she receives a letter informing her that she inherited a home in Scotland. Without thinking twice, Melissa flies to Scotland. And she just happens to meet Colin at the airport, her husband's divorce lawyer and her neighbor back in Scotland...

I wouldn't say that this book wasn't enjoyable. It was definitely a fun and quick read and some scenes were very cute and swoon-worthy. However, I didn't really get it. The story feels rushed (it might just be because it's a novella, but still) and the events that happen are a little too improbable for me to relate. Melissa makes a lot of very irresponsible and unrealistic decisions and there was a bit too much of that for me, I think. The characters would have been more interesting had we had more opportunities to really discover them, but I felt like the romance was too fast and I couldn't quite get attached to the protagonists because of that. The setting and the way the author made me travel was definitely great, though. There was just a hint of magic in this Scottish Christmas setting that tugged at my heart, but I wouldn't say I particularly liked the story in itself. It might just not have been for me, I don't know.

I'm not sure I'll recommend this book, depends on the mood you're in, I imagine.

TW: divorce

Thank you for sending the book Highlands Christmas - Wishes Come True by Amy Quick Parrish.

Quick holiday read cute little romance

A fun and quick holiday pallet cleanser, just what I needed. Added bonus the main character has the same name as me. I love the Scottish folklore along with the Christmas cheer. It was a little Hallmark-ish but I honestly didn't care because it was fun.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in return for my honest review. This was a nice story that was very well written and puts the reader right in the heart of Scotland. I now want to travel to Inverness the setting for this story. I eagerly await the sequel to read more of this quick short story. I loved all of the characters and could definitely read more of their stories.

Melissa MacKenzie thinks she has the perfect life - she loves to host big parties, and has a great marriage, or so she thinks. When her husband decides to divorce her, she's thrown off-kilter and has to reinvent her life. She receives a letter, telling her she's inherited a Scottish estate. Normally methodical Melissa throws caution to the wind, and moves across the pond to Scotland to claim her inheritance. She loves a diy project, but she is ill-equipped for all the challenges such a derelict house - and the weather in Scotland - presents. Luckily , she makes good friends with a nearby neighbor, who just happens to. e her husband's divorce attorney home on holiday. Cute story and a quick read. My only negative comment is that it sort of just stopped at the end - seemed a bit cut-off and rushed. I realize there is a book 2, so that's probably why. I would rate it 3.5.

Cute holiday romance. I love the overall vibes of the book. However, i do think that the sequel that will be coming in 2024 could easily have been squeezed in with this one to become 1 book instead of 2. This is a very short book, and im just left being incredibly curious as to how the situation turns out. Really enjoyed reading though and i hope i get to read the sequel too!

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review

This was a quick but fun read. I would have liked for it to go more in depth but I really enjoyed it regardless. I didn’t find it very Christmasy other than the very start of it, but I loved the charm of the small town.

A Christmassy story set in Scotland? I'm here for it!

Melissa's (ex-)husband springs a divorce on her and she receives a letter that she's inherited a cottage in the Schottish Highland. On a whim, she packs her bags and goes. At the airport, she runs into her husband's lawyer and they hit it off.

Unfortunately, the Scottish setting was one of the few things I actually enjoyed about this book. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea behind this book SO much as the premise leaves room for so much tension with high stakes and a somewhat forbidden romance.

It was a quick read because I feel the story didn't live up to its potential. I missed the chemistry between the characters, I missed the journey of their romance. The ups, the downs.

Melissa MacKenzie finds out her husband is cheating on her, and that she's inherited a house in Scotland, all in the weeks prior to Christmas. As a reader I was immediately drawn to Melissa's sweet and optimistic personality, and the foil she played to her cad of a husband.

In the airport on her way to Scotland to check out her new digs, Melissa has a very original meet-cute with the man who will be her eventual love interest. The bands of probability in any aspect of this meeting are strained and broken, but I didn't care. It's Christmas....I want magic, not reality!

The author wisely kept this book short. It's too light and frothy to be a weighty novel, but as a short book or long story, it was the perfect Christmas quick and easy read! I loved Melissa and Colin as a couple, and I will look forward to reading the follow up! And I'm not a romance reader!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fresh off her husband filing for divorce, Melissa receives a letter from a Scottish law firm announcing her as the closest relative and heir to a distant Scottish relative. There is a piece of property waiting for her. That is all the opportunity Melissa needs to seize life, pack her bags and move across the ocean.

At the airport she meets Colin, a Scottish born American lawyer who happens to be her husband’s attorney. Of course he ends up on the same flight, the same train in Scotland and even lives in the same town.

Coincidence? Perhaps. Holiday romance gold? Perhaps.

I loved the setting. Scotland is a dream for me and picturing the people in all their holiday finery chatting with the Scottish brogue…you had me. The characters were all just sweet and delightful. Everyone was kind to Melissa as she settles in to her new community. I could see the appeal of living in such an idealic family based setting and calling it home. And the dog; I want one!

Now here’s the rub. My struggle with rom coms in general is that the stories are often all too convenient and happen too fast. Not everyone falls in love at first sight. With a good story you can overlook that BUT (and apparently I missed the very clear memo that this was a novella), in a novella it happens even faster.

I appreciated that this was just the beginning of their story, really, but there were gaps that begged to be filled. I think what disappointed me about it is that I think Parrish’s writing could have taken this story to something really cute and satisfying - because much of it really is already - if it had been a full length novel. Maybe that’s me just recognizing I don’t like novellas.

SO. If you’re looking for a cute little Christmas story that actually oozes Christmas and you love the highlands and their lore, this would be a super QUICK read. Like a palate cleanser during the holiday season or your favorite appetizer. …and I’m going to stay away from novellas.

This was a very cute book for the holidays. It took the place the typical summer read for the winter months. And who wouldn't want to have the cute Scotsman whose family was the town favorite fall in love with you? I mean, that's a no brainer. And for the hustle and bustle of Christmas with everything, this little short story was a perfect guilty pleasure to read in relaxation amongst the stress of the season. Very cute, very Scottish (with great humor I may add) that every reader who loves romance should read.

I read this story on Christmas Day, it kind of reminded me of Hallmark movie. The only difference is I was more in love with the setting of this story in the Scottish Highland then the main character. Don't get me wrong I love Halmark movies around the holidays and I do have my favorite ones.



Thank you to NetGalley and Flying Cactus Publishing for a copy of this story for my honest review.

‼️‼️‼️‼️ARC REVIEW‼️‼️‼️‼️

Thank you to the author, the publishing team and Net Galley for allowing me to review this advanced reader copy!

Highlands Christmas- wishes do come true
⭐️⭐️ ⭐️💫/5

I enjoyed this cute holiday story. It is a novella so it is short and sweet and pretty surface level. But I almost wish it was a little longer so we got a bit more depth to the characters. I felt like I could see their friendship building but not the romance.

Overall, if you are looking for a short read, with some holiday cheer a a sprinkle of romance I would recommend checking this out!

#HighlandsChristmas #NetGalley

The book Highlands Christmas - Wishes Come True was an enjoyable read. I would recommend any book written by Amy Quick Parrish. Happy Reading!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.

Highlands Christmas - Wishes Come True by Amy Quick Parrish

Christmas charm nestled in a picturesque backdrop!
This is a warm and cozy with a familiar narrative.

Christmas hopes and dreams a plenty amongst a lot of festive spirit makes this a light and comforting holiday read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun read for Christmas time and a beautiful scene to picture. Definitely put this on your Christmas reading list. (There’s still time, it’s not new years yet!)

"Highlands Christmas - Wishes Come True" by Amy Quick Parrish depicts a heartwarming holiday story set in the enchanting backdrop of the Scottish Highlands.

The author skillfully captures the festive atmosphere and the allure of the setting, bringing a sense of warmth and coziness to the narrative. While the Christmas spirit is vividly portrayed, I found the plot predictable and the character development somewhat lacking in depth.

Nevertheless, the charming scenery and the theme of wishes coming true make this book a pleasant option for those seeking a light and feel-good seasonal read.

Melissa MacKenzie has just hosted Thanksgiving and her thoughts start to drift to Christmas and the possibility of going on a trip. That is, until her husband announces that he’s cheating on her, wants a divorce and the house. Melissa is blindsided and isn’t sure what to do until a letter arrives telling her that she’s inherited a house in Scotland. At the airport she meets handsome Colin MacGregor, who she soon realizes is her husband’s divorce lawyer. They end up on the same plane to Edinburgh and the train to Inverness, and eventually to the same small Scottish town.

When Melissa tells Colin the story of receiving the letter from the estate of a long-lost relative, he feels it’s too good to be true, and agrees to check into things. Melissa starts to settle into the little cottage and begins renovations. She befriends Colin’s sister and is instantly welcomed into the town. It appears that the letter may have been a hoax, but she’s invested too much to lose the cottage she’s come to think of as home.

What more could a reader want than a holiday romance set in Scotland? I really enjoyed this novella and will definitely recommend it to others. It was just what I was looking for!

Thank you to NetGalley and Flying Cactus for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #HighlandsChristmas