Return to Loch Strathkin is a beautifully written, emotionally rich novel about coming home—not just to a place, but to yourself. After suffering a string of personal losses, Marcie Mosse returns to the quiet village of Strathkin in the Scottish Highlands, hoping to find peace and maybe even a way to start over. What she finds instead is a community still carrying its own scars, a house full of memories, and a stirring of hope she wasn’t expecting.

The setting is one of the book’s biggest strengths—misty mountains, a still loch, and a village that feels like a character in its own right. You can feel the pull of the land and the weight of history in every scene. The return of Ruaridh Balfour’s estranged brother adds tension and mystery, slowly unraveling secrets that have been buried for far too long.

Marcie is a relatable and quietly strong protagonist. Her grief is handled with care, and I appreciated that her growth wasn’t rushed. The arrival of a troubled young stranger weaves another thread into the story, and the way all their paths intersect feels organic and satisfying.

The plot is more character-driven than action-packed, though there are moments of real suspense that keep the pages turning. Some readers might find the pacing a bit slow at times, but I personally found it thoughtful and well-measured, allowing space for the emotional beats to land.

Overall, Return to Loch Strathkin is a tender, hopeful story about love, loss, and the complicated beauty of starting over. It’s the kind of book that wraps around you like a warm blanket on a rainy day. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Return to Loch Strathkin draws readers back into the warmth and shadows of the Scottish Highlands, where the beauty of the loch contrasts with the tangled loyalties, secrets, and rivalries of village life.

This third installment in the series centers on Marcie Mosse, who is navigating the fragility of divorce, the grief that still lingers in Strathkin after Dina’s death, and her own complicated entanglement with the Balfour brothers. Ross’s sudden return sparks suspicion—he is not known for acting without motive—while Ruaridh struggles to rebuild life for himself and his children.

New arrivals bring both heart and tension: Hannah, a vulnerable runaway who finds unexpected belonging, and Dieter, a grief-stricken outsider whose motives edge toward revenge. Threads from the past resurface as old enemies threaten the fragile peace of the community, while unexpected romance and renewed friendships remind us of the resilience of love.

What stands out most is how Grimes balances the intimacy of village life with drama that feels both personal and sweeping. Marcie’s growth, Bella and Heather’s steadfast loyalty, and the Balfour family’s simmering tensions create a layered narrative that blends humor, heartbreak, and hope. Though best enjoyed after the earlier books, this installment rewards readers with a story that feels like returning home—even as danger lurks around familiar corners.

Return to Loch Strathkin
​By Elayne Grimes
​Chapter: Seven, Page 40
​🌟🌟🌟🌟

​°•. “Busted!” she said as her eyes drifted to the huge cream-filled meringue which sat proudly in the centre of a large plate.

“Not practising what you preach, doc,” he joked, and she laughed. “I've just had a dizzy, so you're welcome to join me,” Ruaridh then offered, leaning over to push the seat out in front of him.

“I've been stood up,” he qualified as he saw her baffled expression.

“Ah, I'm still trying to get used to the Scottish vernacular!” she joked and set the tray next to his, taking her seat opposite him. She deftly and expertly separated the large treat and, with a fork, split the cream evenly on each side.

“You realise if you weren't here, I would just shove this in my face!..” °•.

​Review

|:: ​Is everything as it seems in the sleepy town of Strathkin? Does it still deserve the name Strathkind? Or should it be labelled as something else? Something that acknowledges the return of an old nemesis—the one who wants to tear it all down, in the name of revenge..

​We follow a small handful of people from the village of Strathkind in the Scottish Highlands. Bella, Maureen, Marie, the Balfour boys, Heather, Hannah, and the lovely Arisha, as well as a handful of guests and staff at the local Inn, navigate their own personal struggles, stories, and problems.

These conflicts result in the devastating death of a friend, wife, and mother, as well as others they knew and loved, in a house fire.

​It made me laugh and cry, and in a way, feel slightly proud of how these people, who didn't think they could, managed to find a way to carry on. In such a small, private place of peace and beauty, a secret can't be hidden for long. It's only a matter of time before the oldest Balfour boy will be figured out.

​For Ross is a planner and never does anything if there isn't something in it for him. So why is he making heart-eyes at Marcie, the one who holds the keys to the main house?
​It's just a shame the house was devastated by a fire. But that doesn't stop Ross from making plans of his own. Will he get what he returned for? How long is he staying, and can the secret between them be kept?

​My Thoughts

​I have to admit my favourite character was Maureen, without a shadow of a doubt. She made my day, and I was always crying with laughter when she had one of her moments where she would stop and start a conversation. I could hear the girls shouting, "MAUREEN!" when she'd stop in the middle of a sentence to talk about something else.
Usually, her G&T!

​Ross, I struggled to connect with. And while Marcie was definitely a main character, I didn't know much about her other than what was said in the book.
I hadn't read the others first; only this ARC was given to me. Still, there was enough information for me to feel included in what was going on.

​Bella, Heather, Dax, and Hannah, I thought were amazing. They really brought a family spirit and energy to the book that you could genuinely feel.
I'm not sure how I felt about the younger Balfour. I don't think I know enough about him to make a conscious decision about whether I liked him or not.

This book made me laugh and I do have to admit I could not put it down. Not even for a cup of tea! I let three go cold in total but it was totally worth it!
​Overall, this was a hearty book about friendship, changing times, and sticking together, which it outlined in abundance. ::|

​Title: Return to Loch Strathkin
​Author: Elayne Grimes
​Publish Date: N/A
​Publisher: Storm Publishing
​Review Score: 4/5

​A huge thank you to Elayne Grimes, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and relay my honest feedback.

You will definitely benefit from having read the previous novels in this series to fully feel the threats, love, losses and impending doom!
Beautifully woven through the lives of the friends this book ties up a number of loose ends from previous books whilst still focussing on the stories of the various women and their families and connections.

This is this the third book in the Loch Strathkin series but would read just fine as a standalone.

It picks up where book three left off and we get to see some of the main characters as they deal with their grief over the loss of people close to them. In fact the first part of the book is very sad.

The book is well written and builds on the characters we have got to know and love. As always the author does a great job of describing the highland scenery, I really need to visit one day!

Return to Loch Strathkin is book three in the Loch Strathkin series, a series that I have absolutely loved, the author writes the most beautifully atmospheric stories full of emotion that will pull at your heartstrings.

It was great to meet Marcie and all our old friends again, plus a few new faces that shake up the dynamics of Strathkin. The first half of the book is quite sad as our characters deal with a number of loses, but there is also the familiar warmth, sweetness, and humour of the previous books. I loved the introduction of Ruaridh's brother Ross, which really shook things up, particularly with Marcie, although I do still have some unanswered questions around Ross & his return.

This was another really enjoyable read and I'm hoping the series is not over yet.

**I would not recommend reading this as a standalone.

Back in Strathkin for the third, and final(?!) instalment in the series set in the remote Scottish Highlands about life, love, and family.
We see Marcie, Bella and Heather learning to live without their friend Dina who sadly passed away in book 2. For Ruaridh this task feels like it must be impossible. He is the kind of character you can picture as a troubled teddy bear, you just want to wrap him up and tell him everything will be ok!
We meet big brother Ross at long last, what a complicated character but I really enjoyed getting to know him and the arc his character takes.
There are many pieces of the puzzle finally put together in this read, but there are still some things left a little open for some of the characters and I wonder whether we will see the characters again somehow and get everything resolved completely.
It's been a really great series that I would definitely recommend.

Return to Strathkin is #3 in a series. When I picked it up to read I didn't realise this and so for parts of the book I was completely mystified. So I would say definitely not a stand alone. I kept on reading trying to hold all the various characters in my mind and how they fitted in to each other. As well I was wondering how did this or that happen?

I loved the setting in the Scottish Highlands and the easy way the author had of writing. She makes it very readable and so I didn't give up.

I was interested in all the characters, I liked Marcie who the book mostly followed. She is on the verge of divorce and perhaps on the verge of something new. I really enjoyed the cat she reluctantly acquired. I was impressed with how she cared for Hannah - a lone waif - when she appeared on the scene.

As well the Balfour brothers were on the whole loveable and real. Ruaridh is navigating the loss of his wife whom he obviously loved. She died in the previous book but I have no idea how. And as well then there are the various friends that make up the variety in the village.

There was some mystery and some of it rather sinister, however it seemed to end reasonably well.

I would most likely read a follow up if there were one, and might even consider backtracking to the two previous books. If I had my time over I wouldn't start with this one!

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. A story set in Scotland, a remote village with a fairly tight knit community. Everyone knows everyone else and thinks they know their stories. Marcie has returned to the village, after the death of her friend Dina, Ross has returned from Australia . Rudiyah, is struggling with his grief and his young family. Can they support each other? What secrets are being kept? Hannah, a new arrival to the village has her secrets. Can they help each other? The characters are well written and some of the landscapes are vividly described but at times the pace of the story is too slow. Generally, an easy read of a cosy story. I think it is probably a good idea to have read the previous books in the series to better understand the context. I can recommend this book to those who like easy reads.

Return to Loch strathkin by Elayne Grimes.
Loch strathkin book 3.
I did enjoy this book. I love the cover. I have loved all three books. Although there is sadness in book 2. I still love Marcie and her two remaining friends Heather and Bella. I did feel for Ruaridh. I loved the setting. I liked the writing style and the story. I do like to see new characters. Even returning one although I didn't like him. Pyotr is a villian in my eyes. I do hope there is more to come as I feel there is some loose ends.

The West Highland setting sells this book to me having spent many happy holidays there, the author obviously knows and loves the area well.
I didn't read the first book in the series but I did read the second one and was able to pick up the story, however, had I not done so, I think that I would have struggled with this one.
I did enjoy this book, I loved the way the group of friends from childhood had all deviated back to the village, a village that is in their DNA, a village where everyone knows everyone and friendships run deep.
I felt for Ruaridh as he struggled to come to terms with Dina's death and how he continued to instil Dina's values into their children.
Marcie's feelings for Ruaridh were still strong but now that his brother Ross was back on the scene would this alter the dynamics of the close knit community ?
Various new characters appear in the village, Dieter Frum, a distraught German seeking revenge, Hannah, a sweet runaway who finds a gentle love, and returning to the village are Callum, Marcie's beloved uncle and Poytr Medvedev, her nemesis who wants her dead.
I am hoping that there is another book in this series because, although I enjoyed returning to Strathkin with it's mixed assortment of characters and loves, I though that there were a few loose ends that need addressing.
Thank you Storm Publishing and Net Gallery for this ARC, my review is totally voluntary.

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

I enjoyed reading this book.

The story is about Marcie and her two friends, Bella and Heather. Her third friend was Dina who passed away. We read about her death and how her husband is finding it hard to live his life without her.

When a newcomer arrives in Strathkin, we begin to find out why she’s there, and slowly she begins a friendship with Dax who is Ruaridh's son.

When Ross also returns to Strathkin, villagers begin to think why he’s back, because everything he does has a reason.

I recommend this book.

The second book by Elayne Crimes I have read and enjoyed. Set in the Scottish Highlands an area clearly loved by the author which comes out in the writing. For me a pleasant book that was a quick read. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

This is the third book in the Loch Strathkin series and does not work really well as a standalone because there is too much history between the main characters and it could leave a reader confused. You could start with book two, Escape to the Highland Retreat, and be okay, although I prefer to read series from the beginning.

The main character is Marcie Mosse and the story revolves around her and her two remaining best friends, Bella and Heather. One of their best friends (Dina) died in the preceding book and her death is talked about in this book because of the struggle of her husband Ruaridh to move on.

A young woman arrived in Strathkin and we slowly found out her backstory and why she was in the village. I liked how she developed a friendship and then a romance with Ruaridh’s son, Dax. You have to wonder why Ruaridh’s brother Ross returned because apparently he doesn’t do anything without a reason. I liked how Marcie’s friends said she had Balfouritis because it seemed like she was interested in both brothers.

It was a strange story because the villain from book two made an appearance and the reason did not make sense. Why not move on? I thought Ruaridh’s conversation with Marcie was awkward about moving on and pretty presumptuous that she even wanted him as a future husband. I liked Ross coming into the story and why he came back and his blossoming romance with Marcie. Marcie was hard to warm up to because she seemed very self-involved, but that did not detract from my enjoying the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had read the first book in this series but not the second one. I felt confused from page one in this book.
Maybe because the chapters and characters jumped around. I struggled to stay interested in the story.

This is going to be a review not like many of my other ones. I have read many books where it would be number two or number three number four in a series and I was able to get through it with no problem. Unfortunately, for this one, it was very hard for me. There were so many characters that I was unfamiliar with and normally I do not have a problem but this time I did.
It was a beautifully written story of heartache,loss and friendship. A best friend lost and the circle of friendship is cracked. A husband losing his wife and doesn’t know how to move on. A terrible accident took the lives of loved one and some are looking for revenge. Will this revenge help everyone to move on? Will the new stranger Hannah help heal the people of Loch Strahkin or will she bring a terrible secret to this town.
I wish I read the other books in the series. This was a beautifully written story. I wish I could’ve appreciated it more. Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC.

Confusing at times🤔

3-3.5🌟 stars
There were some good elements in this book, but they were diluted by the lack of background on some key elements in the earlier stories in the series. I liked the introduction of some new characters like young Hanna and Ross; the developing relationships for Marcie's tight circle of friends and Ruaridh's oldest son Dax; and the reappearance of villain Pyotr. I was glad to read that, despite the pain of Dina's passing, some of the Balfour clan was moving on.

This story would have benefited from a beginning synopsis of major events in the preceding two volumes. The story lacked even a cursory explanation of why Marcie no longer owns Swansfield House and the mansion is in tatters, how lovely Dina died, why Angelina is relevant to the future of the wrecked mansion and how Pyotr wreaked havoc in the community or why he wants revenge. IMO, seeing how often oblique references are made to these issues, they really needed some recap to get new readers up to speed and jog the memories for those following the series. As it stands, this book is definitely not a standalone novel. And the whole mystery of the reason for Ross's return from New Zealand? It did not make any sense no matter how hard I thought about it after the big reveal.

Although I struggled a bit with this one, I am still drawn to the characters, especially grieving Ruaridh and his children, and will be looking for the next volume in the series. This small Scottish community still has plenty of healing to get through!

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

Review shared on 7/3/25 on Goodreads and with Barnes & Noble and BAM.

after a series of losses Macie goes to her uncle's cottage in a small, pretty village. she meets lots of new people and some old friends return.

In addition to a wonderful story I got to travel to the Scottish Highlands. The descriptions were vividly written. One day I'd love to enjoy the scenery in real life as a result of reading this glorious book.

oh to be back with the Loch series we all love and the characters that now feel like coming home. Elayne has written such a beautiful series and made me feel so connected to the world she has built both in people and place.
this is the third in the series and it is just as deep and emotionally wonderful as the others. you are bought seamlessly back into this world and its like walking down the street and finding yourself in this community you cherish once again. i feel lucky ive got to know both books and the people within it. the people feel real with all the nuance and complexities that can sometimes come with that.
Marcie has a few more things to contend with in this book alongside her friends both old and new. and a new face is definitely bringing a little excitement and intrigue to both reader and characters alike.
come in take your shoes off and snuggle down with this book. as once again it fills you up with all you could want from a book, a series and our small town joy. the themes are not always easy. the characters dont always have it easy. but once again the want no need to read this book is very easy indeed.