I am loving this Coorie Castle Crafts series. It's just such a great setting for a series of books, on the island of Skye.

And although a familiar location with some recurring characters from the previous book, this felt entirely different, as Freya is only back on the island as her father has had a fall.

She decides she will stay with him until he is back to full mobility which leads to some clashes. She also reconnects with Mack, although she does in theory have a boyfriend back in London. She's not really looking for anything, but is happy with friendship.

I enjoyed seeing Freya and reconnecting with some of the other crafters. And Mhairi is fabulous once again too!

This is just so enjoyable, such a heartwarming and cosy sort of a read. I loved Mack, his boat trips, how he is with Freya's dad and just everything about him. Whereas I had nothing but contempt for Hadrian.

Learning more about ceramics was also fascinating, and I would have loved to have seen some of Freya's creations.

An incredibly pleasurable book to read that left me with a smile on my face.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

When Freya gets a phone call to say her dad's in hospital she packs her bag and gets the next flight from London to her home town of Skye.
She stays to help him recover from a broken hip In The hopes it will be for a month or two then she can get back to her dream pottery job.
Mack has always had a place in Freya's heart from school days and on seeing him again has only confirmed she's always loved him but she's in a relationship still.
On finding out her father has kept a secret that it's just not his hip that's the problem that he's never going to get any better she now's she has to stay and look after him.

Freya is living her best life in London she has the job the man and an exciting offer on the cards, then life kicks in she has to rush back to the Isle of Skye as her ailing father is in hospital.
Mackenzie Burns is a love them and leave them type until he meets Freya he dosnt remember her being so gorgeous at school, but he dosnt need anything serious in his life.
Brilliantly written as usual by Lilac Mills loved it.

🌅Lovely romance touching on real issues of eldercare👴

4.5-5🌟 stars
So many parts of this novel appealed to me, including:

Strong, independent Skye-born female lead Freya, well established in her profession but with hard choices on where to head next. She had some sad reasons for not visiting Skye and her father more often, but she's there and all in when her dad needs her;

Freya's widower, retired fisherman dad, trying so hard to put his daughter's career and happiness first;

Whole issue of dad's injury/illness and the realities of recuperative care;

The romance, gradually evolving, warm, building on a shared love of Skye;

Mack, the male lead boat tour operator, so ready to lend a helping hand and sacrifice to make Freya's career dreams come true;

Skye and its coastal waters, all beautifully incorporated into the plot; and

The small-town, neighborly atmosphere.

Such a lovely read with an epilogue that just sent it off to a perfect, hope filled
ending. This is the second book in a series set on Skye and, although some characters appear in both stories, easily can be read as a standalone.

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

Review shared on 7/6/25 on Goodreads and Bookbub, and with Waterstones and Barnes & Noble. To be shared with kobo and Google Play after publication.

I want to start this review by saying WOW. What an intense and emotionally charged book. I am pleasantly surprised with this novel, I loved it so much that I keep thinking about it.

The plot is super well constructed, the story is amazing, the setting is dreamlike and the characters are wonderful.
In the end, it's such a good slow burn and a found family of madness, that it just makes you want to read everything the author writes.

I was fascinated, I can't wait to read more from her. My congratulations <3

I’ve always been a sucker for a story that takes place in Scotland so when I received this ARC I was super excited. This was no exception. I loved reading about the culture and picturing the scenery in Skye. Freya had been away from home for a few years now, living in London and excelling in her career as a potter and professor with her boyfriend. She gets a call one day saying her father fell and broke his hip so she comes home to Scotland to take care of him. There she reconnects with Mack who she knew as a child growing up. She has a lot of personal decisions to make for her future and struggles with making those decisions. This was a heart felt story with closed door romance that takes place in a small town.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this story early!

A brilliant read. The main character was amazing potter and her father was ill and she dropped everything and you follow her life. It is a great story and you get a neat good ending . Set in a beautiful Skye . Loved it

Really enjoyed this read, it was lighthearted and had a warm feeling with it. Definitely recommend reading this. Nice and quick read and kept me wanting more xx

The story follows Freya, who returns to the remote Scottish island of her childhood to care for her estranged father, Vinnie, after he falls seriously ill. Their relationship is fractured, but what unfolds is a deeply emotional and believable journey of reconnection and forgiveness. Freya’s quiet strength and unwavering commitment to being there for her father—even when it means putting her own life on hold—makes her instantly lovable and easy to root for.

The father-daughter dynamic is one of the standout elements of the book. Mills handles their complex relationship with nuance and tenderness, showing the slow rebuilding of trust after years of absence. It’s touching, real, and never overdone.

The romance between Freya and Mack, a local islander, is a slow burn done right. Their connection grows gently and organically, grounded in friendship, witty banter, and emotional honesty. Mack is thoughtful, respectful, and incredibly supportive—especially as Freya untangles her complicated feelings for her ex, Hadrian. (And yes, Hadrian firmly earns a place on the “you blew it” list.)

One of the most charming aspects of the novel is the sense of community. The islanders genuinely care about each other, and the way they rally around Freya and Vinnie adds warmth and depth to the setting. The village feels like a character in its own right—comforting, familiar, and always present.

With its heartfelt emotional arcs, authentic characters, and a strong sense of place, this book is a beautiful exploration of second chances—both in family and in love. It’s cozy, poignant, and uplifting, with just the right mix of realism and romance. Overall, it is tender, slow-burning gem that lingers long after the final page.

This is a standalone romance, the second installment in the Coorie Castle series written by Lilac Mills. I found this short (under 300 pages), closed-door romance to be a cute story with relatable characters. If you are looking for a quick read, this one will draw you into a fictional, small town in the beautiful Isle of Skye.

ARC Critique (with spoiler) - The one thing that I think would make this a great story is more “showing” instead of “telling.” For example, when Freye says that she has been in love with Mack since they were kids, that is it. It was just a statement without any reason to believe her. There are multiple parts of the story where this occurs. Adding vivid details that show a character's emotions, rather than simply stating them, can deeply engage readers and bring the characters to life.

ARC Star Ratings
1 - Do Not Recommend
2 - This book shows promise but requires substantial editing to address its notable flaws and unlock its full potential.
3 - The story's foundation is strong, though it could benefit from further refinement in certain areas to elevate its impact.
4 - A compelling and well-crafted story that I’d confidently recommend to readers.
5 - A great story that will stay with me. No Notes!

Beautiful story! I could relate so much as I was a caregiver for my dad. It had all the elements of beautiful book, family, heart, romance and it was set in the most beautiful of settings. Highly recommend:

This was exactly the kind of gentle, feel-good story I needed after a steady diet of dark thrillers — a warm, breezy read that served as the perfect palate cleanser. Lilac Mills always delivers when it comes to escapist fiction, and Summer Escapes on the Scottish Isle was no exception.
We’d already been introduced to Mack in the first book of the series, so I was thrilled to see him take centre stage here. He’s a solid, dependable presence with a softer side, and it was lovely getting to know him properly this time around. Freya made for a likeable and relatable lead — her inner conflict between the life she knows in London and the possibility of something new on Skye felt real and well-drawn.
The setting, as always with Mills, was beautifully described. The rugged charm of Skye practically leaps off the page, and I found myself craving sea air and a hot cuppa in a cosy café. It was escapism done right.
That said, I can’t help but feel a bit let down by the ending. After spending hours emotionally invested in these two, the resolution felt far too abrupt. With just 11 minutes left to read, Freya was still torn, and then — poof — everything was neatly tied up in a heartbeat. It didn’t give me enough time to sit with the resolution, to feel the payoff I’d been waiting for.
Still, it was an enjoyable, light-hearted read with engaging characters and an uplifting tone. A little more breathing room at the end, and it could have been something really special.

This was a charming and emotional story about love in forms. It was a very character driven story with a cosy Scottish setting which I loved. The involvement of Parkinson’s disease and how that affects Freya’s dad, and him not wanting her to waste her life taking care of him, was done with so much care and heartfelt emotion. The Romance between Freya and Mackenzie was very slow burn and written well. It is such a lovely story.

I've loved every single one of Lilac Mills' books I've been fortunate enough to read and this was no exception.

Im a huge fan of creating items especially pottery. Its something ive always wanted to have a go at. It was also lovely catching up with the characters from book 1 in the series (they can be read as standalones) and it made me want to go to Skye even more than book 1 did.

I'm excited for the next instalment to be released, I know it will be just as gorgeous as this one.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A tender and emotional story about family, grief, and second chances.

The book follows Freya, who returns to her hometown on a Scottish island to care for her father after an accident. Their relationship is complicated: he keeps pushing her away, insisting she goes back to her life, while she struggles with guilt for not visiting him more often.

Told in dual POV, we also see Mac's side.His feelings for Freya are clear, but hers felt less developed, making their slow-burn romance feel a bit one-sided at times.

The book explores small town life, family bonds, grief, and the fear of letting people in when you know they might leave again.

I enjoyed the emotional moments and the island atmosphere, but the ending felt a bit rushed, leaving me wanting more closure.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange my honest opinion!

A lovely romance about a woman returning to Skye after her father is injured. A lovely new story in this series but it reads fine as a standalone.

I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting!! It felt like getting a warm hug when you’re struggling to breathe through your day-to-day. Something about this book just put me at peace from the start, which was perfect for after-work-reading today. It was emotional (spoilers ahead!) through Freya’s dad’s recovery from his fall and the reveal of the root cause of his change in behavior, and Freya coming into her own as well. Freya and Mack’s relationship felt so natural and right, and he was so completely supportive of her and willing to give up so much of his life for her to live her dream (SWOONING!!). This book was a love story to Skye (I miss the isle so much) and I will definitely be rereading!

Thanks to the author for an early ARC of this book, and to Netgalley for an updated version. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
The Coorie Castle Craft centre provides a lovely backdrop for Lilac's romantic stories. She is adept at giving us a realistic, interesting storyline and adding in hints of humour. This story carries its own emotional moments dealing with illness, grief and getting older and it is written with sensitivity and empathy.
This novel is completely different to the first in the series, and shows the author's level of expertise drawing the reader in and onward to the conclusion, once again I didn't want to put it down!

I absolutely loved the first book in this series so was eager to dive into this one, and it did not disappoint!!

Freya is loving her perfect life in London, fantastic job, boyfriend and the chance of a lifetime promotion, but then she receives a call to say her dad needs her. She drops everything to be there for him, but can she get back to her ideal life as soon as she thought, and is it as ideal as she thought it was?

This book is something magical, it will bring a tear to your eye (several times and most likely more than one tear!) yet it will fill you with warmth. It’s a beautiful, moving tale. A tale of family, friendships, love and loss.

The setting is wonderful and is so well described that you will feel you are there on the island of Skye. Although this is the second in a series, you could read it as a stand alone, the author gives just the right amount of detail to recap on what has happened previously with some of the returning characters. It was lovely to revisit characters from the first book and see what they are up to now. All the characters are well developed and thoughtfully written and will be pulling on your heartstrings in no time as all.

As much as I love all the characters, Mhairi is definitely a favourite. The way she speaks her mind, gets what she wants, but has, and deserves, the respect of everyone.

The ending I feel was perfect, I don’t want to give anything away, but it shows how an unexpected change, which seems to upend everything, may only be changing your journey a little, not the destination.

Thank you Lilac Mills for another story to loose myself in for a few hours.

A light romance where things fall apart only to build into something unexpectedly beautiful again. A feel-good book for anyone looking for a palate cleanser for the weekend.
I wouldn't say the characters are memorable or that the story is particularly unique; so maybe not great, but not bad either.

Content triggers: Age-related falls, grief, Parkinson's disease

I thank the publishers and Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest feedback