I have adored each and every single one of Hobman's books I've read to date. This is the second novel in her Highlands series and we find ourselves in the picturesque settings of Inverness - Scottish settings are a bit of a Hobman tradition.

This, is Bella's story and it was an absolute delight to read. It's a light, heart-warming read full of friendships, matchmaking and romance.

Each and every one of the characters are credible and likeable, with Granny stealing the show - what a character she was, wasn't she?

Chasing a Highland Dream was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. It's enjoyable, entertaining and I'm so ready for book three!!

Easily one of my favourites so far for 2024, Chasing a Highland Dream was just a delight to read. Set in Inverness in Scotland, Bella works as a Personal Assistant to her best friend Olivia, who has just inherited a castle. However, Bella has aspirations of becoming an interior designer and certainly has the skills to achieve her dream.

I loved, loved, loved Granny Isla so much! She was hilarious, with her many malapropisms, including her WhatsUp messages, she was just brilliant. I found myself smiling more often than not as I devoured this book in just a day. In fact, with the exception of Kerr (aka Kermit according to Granny), and Aiden, all the characters were absolutely cool and loveable.

Lisa Hobman writes with such humour and fun, bringing the characters, the dogs and the Scottish scenery straight into the readers’ imagination. I spent numerous happy moments drinking tea and eating cake with Bella and Harris, walking along by the loch with Beau, and taking a tour of the castle with Olivia.

Do yourself a favour and add this book to your reading list for your holidays this year. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Now I’m off to close my eyes and make believe I’m being whisked away on a motorbike around the highlands of Scotland by my very own Sergeant Donaldson!

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read Chasing a Highland Dream by Lisa Hobman.

This is a brilliant book which engaged the reader from the start. Many relatable characters, some who appeared in book one . This is a standalone book but I would recommend that you read book one, purely because it gives the background to the Castle and Olivia’s story .
Adored Isla, Bella’s granny , what a character! and her beagle Beau . The close relationship between Bella and her gran was lovely to see. Everyone needs an Isla in their lives !
There is a strong sense of community, everyone helping each other out, plenty of love interest - who would Bella end up with?
Many twists to the storyline, some I didn’t see coming
A book I didn’t want to end and which I would highly Recommend
Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and Lisa Hobman for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

I instantly loved this book. I got drawn straight into the story and I have to say I absolutely loved Bella, she's the kind of MC that you can connect with easily and that's exactly what I found myself doing. And Granny Isla is fabulous, she's the kind of Granny I think I'd like to be when I'm older, never too serious and always there with love and fun for her grandchildren. I really loved the relationship she and Bella have, it kind of made me miss my Grandma if I'm honest, I think I had a smile on my face during any scene where those two were together.
Now onto the romance, I have to admit, to begin with, much like Bella, I didn't really like Harris but I think I also didn't like him because Granny Isla was trying to push him and Bella together and I was annoyed on Bella's behalf so I was rooting for her and Aiden to begin with. Aiden seemed like the better choice, until words came out of his mouth, once he started talking more to Bella I started to dislike him so much! But I loved the slow-burn friends-to-lovers path that Bella and Harris took and it made me do a giddy little dance when they finally got together.
I think Lisa Hobman is a brilliant writer because I so easily connected with her characters and became so invested in the story that I couldn't put the book down until I knew the ending. I'm definitely going to go read book one in the series and I can't wait for book three in October!

Lisa Hobman’s newest novel in the Highland Series, Charging a Highland Dream, is a delightful read.

The story follows Bells, who, after facing multiple job losses, takes a position as a Personal Assistant to her friend, Lady Olivia. When disaster strikes their home, Bells and her grandmother find themselves sharing an apartment in the castle.

Lisa vividly portrays the area, immersing readers in the setting, while her characters are incredibly relatable. This book is the ideal choice for a springtime read. Grab your copy today!

As the story opens, Bella shows a real error of judgement in trusting Olivia’s brother Kerr who she still rather carries a torch for – but, against all odds, she manages to save the day and make the castle’s first public event a success. But her own life is about to be turned upside down – after a bit of a disaster at the home she shares with Granny Isla, it’s Olivia’s turn to come to the rescue by offering them a temporary home in one of the apartments Bella’s recently used her design skills to help renovate.

Moving on from Kerr, her love life is rather a desert though – her gran’s pushing her towards a bearded policeman, the son of her closest friend, who enjoys birdwatching and seems distinctly boring, but she’s really not interested. And there’s a much more exciting prospect in the flat next-door – a gorgeous and famous author, who’s most definitely returning her interest. I’ll leave you to find out how that triangle works itself out, but suffice to say that neither man is quite what they appear to be – and Bella needs to make the right choices as she considers what the future may hold.

The characterisation in this book is really excellent – Bella, as she slowly blossoms, and her two romantic prospects, but the whole supporting cast too. There’s a really lovely friendship between Bella and Olivia, who has her own challenges and worries along the way – and Bella’s relationship with Granny Isla is a total joy throughout, with plenty of laughs from her many malapropisms and wicked sense of humour. There’s a real focus on kindness and forgiveness, and the whole book radiates warmth and feel good – but it’s certainly not without its moments of real drama and heightened emotions along the way.

If you read the first book in this series, you’ll be delighted to re-encounter familiar characters – I found it a particular treat, but there would be no issues if you read this one as a standalone – and, of course, Drumblair Castle and the Highlands are as beautifully drawn as ever with the author’s love for her setting shining through. And readers of some of the author’s other books will be as thrilled as I was by its perfect ending – but even if it’s your first, I guarantee it’ll leave you with a tear in your eye and a smile on your face. Read in one sitting, I thought it was a really lovely read – and one I’d very much recommend to others.

I am a big fan of Lisa Hobman, only after a few books from her I know I’m a guaranteed fan for life. Her books I know are guaranteed to give me a smile, make my heart melt and feel better about the world for a little bit and I really think we all need that for the last few years.

I loved Chasing a Highland Dream, not only is it set in one of my favourite places but it’s full of my favourite things, romance of course but also great community, friendships and the most loveable and relatable characters. Of course then there are characters like Granny Isla who steals the show in every scene she was in, she’s and loveable, such a wonderful character I wish she was real. , Harris, Olivia, Aidan et al are all wonderful too, but there’s no one quite like Granny !

This is a wonderful slow burn romance my favourite kind, I love seeing a couple come together and the anticipation for them to realise their feelings and then to act is so lovely. It’s a closed door , I’m always happy with any kind of romantic read so I don’t need steam all the time and it’s nice to not always get the full details. I can wholeheartedly recommend this and any of Lisa’s books for an escape to a better place for awhile.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Chasing A Highland Dream by Lisa Hobman

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Can you live your dreams and also find your destiny?

Since having to drop out of her design degree, Bella Douglas has been unlucky in just about everything life has thrown at her.

She’s lost more jobs than she cares to remember and despite her Granny Isla’s best attempts to set her up with every eligible bachelor in the Scottish Highlands and she’s still single.

Currently PA to her best friend, aka, Lady Olivia MacBain, at the 17th century Drumblair Castle, Bella is yet to find a role that sets her soul on fire. But when disaster strikes for Olivia, Bella steps into the breach to rescue her best friend from a fate worse than a bad interior designer.

When Bella and her Granny Isla find themselves homeless, they relocate to the castle where a handsome new neighbour brings mystery, intrigue and a spark of romance.

Is Bella finally on the track to find true happiness? Or do more catastrophes lie ahead? And does true love hide where you least expect it?

My Opinion

This is the second book in a great series, it could work as a standalone but in order to fully understand the background of the castle I would recommend reading the first book before this one. Lisa Hobman has written some great characters and some great descriptions. An engaging read that will leave you in a great mood.

Rating 4/5

The next in the series a d a good one. I enjoyed this read set in Scotland amongst the Highlands. A quick, sweet read. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Chasing a Highland Dream is the second book in the The Highlands series by Lisa Hobman.

Chasing a Highland Dream is an emotionally-rich novel. The characters are well-written, 3-dimensional, and complex. I enjoyed Bella and the way the author portrayed her character. She is sensitive, loving, strong, and determined. I love how she puts herself out there when Olivia's design firm backs out of a contract.

I enjoyed the author's writing style, the story, and how everything came together. I was pulled into the story from the beginning and kept thoroughly engaged. The author wove a masterpiece together, filled with romance, love, anxious moments, tenderness, frustration, and disbelief. I was captivated by this wonderful story.

The second book in The Highlands series is Bella's story. Her life is a series of bad luck, poor decisions and trusting the wrong people, which seems fated to continue even in her beloved Highlands, working at Oliva's castle. An unexpected chance to utilise her interior design skills is rewarding, and the opportunity for romance signifies a change of fortune, but is Bella willing to take the risk of following her dreams and hazarding her heart? It's a charming story with strong female friendship, familial support, and laugh-out-loud humour. The romance is gentle and tangled. The vibrantly drawn characters and vividly described settings make this an entertaining read. I like the characterisation, the engaging story and the Highlands location.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This is my first book by Lisa Hobman, and it was great to find myself in a location I visited recently. I could picture all the scenes described of Inverness and Inverness-shire. I also always enjoy a book where one of the main characters is a writer - even if this one is not the most pleasant of the gang.

Our main character, Bella, is very likeable, although I fear her gran somewhat steals the show by mispronouncing certain words to quite a hilarious effect.

This is the story of Bella discovering herself and putting herself first to achieve thwarted dreams while trying to find the happiness her two friends already enjoy with their boyfriend/husband.

A delightful read, sure to appeal to fans of the genre.

My thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for my review copy.

Lisa Hobman returns to Drumblair Castle with another feel-good story set in the Scottish Highlands. This time, it's Lady Olivia's best friend, Bella who is in the spotlight. With her love life in ruins, Bella is determined to go it alone while she works with Olivia to ready Olivia's family castle for it's grand opening to the public. As good as that plan is, fate - and Bella's Granny Isla - may have something else in mind.
Lisa Hobman has become one of my go-to authors over the past few years. I've loved the books in her Skye Collection and enjoyed the first Highlands book, Coming Home to the Highlands (Olivia's story). Her feel-good storylines are heart-tugging, amusing, and leave me wanting to book the next flight to Scotland. Her characters are well-developed and intriguing with relatable, sometimes complex, relationships. I love the friendship threads that run through her stories as much as the romance. I also enjoy the secondary characters who add texture and richness to the story as well as, in some cases, stealing about every scene they're in. Like Granny Isla, the purple-haired octogenarian with a keen wit, sharp eye, loving heart, and propensity for hilarious malapropisms. She kept me chuckling throughout the entire book.
The love scenes in the book are closed door, the romance a slow burn, with a gradual escalation of feelings that is heartwarming and realistic. For fans of Hobman, there's also a tie-in with her Skye series that's fun but shouldn't cause any confusion for readers new to her books. For those who are new, Chasing a Highland Dream can be enjoyed on its own however, I think you'll enjoy it more if you've already read Coming Home to the Highlands. I don't know what Hobman has in store for readers next but whatever it is, I'll be checking it out.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
Fair and unbiased review

Yet another wonderful book by Lisa Hobman. With loveable characters and beautiful narratives making it a heart warming winter read.

I absolutely loved this book and just couldn't read it quickly enough. Wonderfully described locations, which really made you feel you were there as well as now wanting to actually visit. Most of the characters with a couple of exceptions,are extremely likeable, I absolutely adored granny Isla especially her misuse of certain words, it's hilarious. An absolute joyful read and not only am I in love with Scotland, I'm definitely in love with Harris & of course little Beau the beagle Thank you Netgalley, publisher's and Lisa Hinman for an advanced copy of the book for an honest review.

Chasing a Highland Dream is my second Lisa Hobman book, part of a series set in the Scottish highlands. It continues with the characters we’ve met before, but can be read as a stand-alone book.

When Olivia inherited the Scottish Castle her best friend Bella became her PA. Bella’s dreams of being an interior designer ended when she had to drop out of college. Continuing to draw up designs Bella gets the chance to work on some holiday apartments at the castle.

Bella lives with her grandmother Isla who is always trying to matchmake and help her granddaughter find love. When a disaster happens at their cottage Bella & Isla move into a newly decorated apartment at the castle.

Between her grandmother’s matchmaking and the new temporary neighbour at the apartments Bella ends up with two romantic interests. Who does Bella choose? The exciting writer or the steady police officer.

This is an enjoyable read, some parts a bit predictable but they don’t spoil the story. Olivia’s brother is a source of conflict running through the book, but there’s a nice HEA in the end.

Bella and Isla are great friends - they are opposites in many ways but just "click" together. They also manage to mix business and personal lives well.

There was a clear winner for me in the trio of potential suitors for Bella and I'm glad she went with him. All the geriatric matchmaking was fun and the gentle romance made for a great change of pace from my other reads this week! Granny's malapropisms were one of the highlights of the book - she had me hooting at some of her clangers.

The overall theme was reaching for your dreams and remembering to stand up more times than you fall down. I really enjoyed this Scottish set romance, especially as it was written by an author who actually lives here and gets the speech pacing and all the Scottishisms right!

Who knew a clapped out Citroen and a book could hold so many memories?

Bella loves working with her friend Olivia as her personal assistant but she really dreams of working as an interior designer. Police constable Harris has ambitions to rise in the police force and head his own country station; community policing is his thing. Olivia dreams of making the castle she inherited a profitable event venue and tourist spot. And Isla and Maeve dream of finding the perfect match for their grandchildren.

I thought the story had good momentum; some conflict and curves to bring the drama; and humor in the form of a lively octogenarian who can't keep her idioms straight (and really couldn't care less!). The plot kept me engaged throughout until it works its way to that HEA that spreads the happiness around.

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

It was a genuine treat to return to Drumblair Castle and catch up with Olivia and her friends and family. When we left, Olivia had taken control of the castle, found love and a hopeful future. Bella, on the other hand, Olivia’s best friend, was still hung up on Olivia’s waster of a brother, Kerr.

I was thrilled to see Bella getting her own story and delighted to see her blossom as she found the opportunity to show her interior design skills. What she doesn’t have is any luck with boyfriends and has to tolerate her Gran’s interference at every turn.

I was immediately drawn to policeman, Harris and despite him being billed as boring, I could definitely sense that there was more to him than met the eye. Meanwhile, Bella also meets handsome neighbour, Aiden, who is far more exciting an option.

The descriptions of the castle’s makeover, the scenery, and the sense of community made this gorgeous story come to life. I could certainly imagine spending time in one of the converted stables.

The characters are perfectly imagined and I could almost hear Harris playing the Fiddle. It was also a real treat to catch up with some crossover characters. Obviously, if you’re reading this as a standalone, you’ll not catch the familiar names, but they made me smile. Don’t worry, you’ll still thoroughly enjoy your escape to the Highlands.

There’s a gentle warmth to Lisa Hobman’s storytelling; nothing feels rushed and you instinctively know that there will be a happy ending. How that ending comes about is all part of the fun.

Bella is sweet, relatable and kind. This was an interesting mix, and I found myself switching sides throughout the book. It is light heated and cozy at the same time. Little twists along the way kept a little bit of mystery in the story too. A cute romance story, with good friends and family too.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC.