Donna Kauffman returns to the blog with a novella installment in her Hot Scot Trilogy, based in the Hebrides with
Santa in a Kilt
Originally published in a holiday anthology, Unwrapped, this novella installment to the Hot Scot series is a solid holiday read and perfect for fans of romance, easily consumed as a stand-alone story. And consume it I did: at just over 100 pages, the novella is everything that one expects from a holiday / getaway romance title. Kira is back on Kinloch, an island in the Hebrides, and building her business selling hand-woven baskets, a skill passed down from her grandmother. After her last relationship ended horribly, she’s been more focused on her work and her friends, ignoring romance and occasionally fantasizing about Shay, another local boy now returned to the island, who has made his mark as a successful divorce attorney. While perfectly happy to have non-commitments with the women he dates, he’s not one who believes that happily ever after is for him, even as he celebrates and enjoys seeing his best friends pair off. No one has even interested him, until Kira, but she’s an “everything” sort of woman, and he can’t do that.
Of course, it’s a tiny island where everyone not only knows everyone else, but rarely misses a chance to add in advice, meddle a bit, and cheer on two ‘children of the island”. And the interplay between the two of them, along with the sparks are hotter than Bonfire night! Both Kira and Shay are convinced that their connection is simply physical, even though both want more… it will take several hours together, more hours spent denying the inevitable and several ‘chance’ encounters for the connection to become obvious to the players involved. While not a solidly developed romance because of all the hesitations, the warm fuzzies from it all, with everyone on the island celebrating the two of them together – it just made for a wonderful story.
Kira and Shay are secondary characters in this series, but finding their happiness together while all of their friends seem to be loved up and happiness just pouring forth is wonderful. Getting a peek into island life, traditions and crafts and some clan-determined events is well-detailed, giving readers a sense of the lives on the islands in the outer reaches of Scotland, all with their own unique twists, turns and heart.
Title: Santa in a Kilt
Author: Donna Kauffman
Series: Hot Scot Trilogy #2.5
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Holiday Themed, Setting: Scotland, Small Town
Published by: Zebra
ISBN: 9781420148909
Published on: 1 November, 2019
Format:eARC
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Pages: 105
Rated:
Heat:
Get Your Copy: Amazon ♦ Barnes&Noble ♦ iTunes ♦ Kobo ♦ Google ♦Direct from Publisher Originally published in Unwrapped
On the wild dunes of a Scottish Isle, mistletoe and mischief are the best way to heat up a holiday best shared by two . . .
The wind-whipped December sea air of the isle of Kinloch invigorates Kira MacLeod as she sets out to tame rugged Shay Callaghan. The Scottish bachelor may be as wary of a wedding ring as a snowman is of the hot sun, but it’s no secret how he looks at her—as if she were the only woman in the world. Now, with the encouragement of the canny islanders, and watching two of their best friends tie the knot in a romantic winter wedding, Kira will ignite Shay’s heart—and weave the perfect Celtic Christmas to say aye do . .
A copy of this title was provided via Publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
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