Wednesday, April 16, 2025

A Joy to Read! 'Some Like it Scot' - by Pepper Basham


About the book:

An American travel writer who has never found a place to belong and a reclusive Scot with a surprising secret find a shocking connection when she enters a Highlands manor house that has been turned into a three-week long Edwardian experience.

Katie Campbell has traveled her entire life. As the daughter of an army chaplain, changing homes--or even countries--was commonplace, so when her wild childhood storytelling turned into a lucrative career as a travel writer, she thought she'd found her perfect match. But as she's nearly thirty with no real place to settle down, she's starting to wonder where "home" actually is. Her own family hadn't felt like home since her sister's death left them all limping through life.

When a lengthy project in Scotland promises to not only give her travel fodder for months but also a shot at a coveted editing position, she accepts and is sent to spend three weeks in the newly created Craighill House, a Scottish home redesigned to offer guests an Edwardian experience. But her entrance to Craighill introduces her to a quirky group of characters and a surly Scot who is helping refurbish the magnificent woodwork of the estate house.

As Katie attempts to live "Edwardian," she learns that all that glitters does not a comfortable lifestyle make . . . and surly Scots may turn out to be dashing and creative uncles raising their orphaned nephews. When a few escapades from the Downton era lead Katie on hunts for mermaids and dragons or to a fireside chat with a family who has grown stronger through tragedy, Katie begins to wonder if "home" looks a whole lot like rolling green hills, magnificent braighs, and a few extra "ayes" thrown in for good measure. But can her world-traveling lifestyle fit in with a Scot whose heart is double-knotted to home?

My review:

This story was such a joy to read!  There were so many amusing situations Katie gets into plus the banter and puns were wonderful!  I loved that it took place in Scotland and Basham's descriptions really brought it to life.  It was so interesting learning more about the culture of Scotland plus seeing Katie and the other guests learning more about the Edwardian time period while being immersed in it was a lot of fun.  There were so many swoon-worthy moments as the grumpy Scot, Graeme (Graham) seems to show up everywhere she goes and sparks fly.  She's trying not to like him but she just keeps discovering qualities she likes and the same goes for him.  The story also dealt with some serious stuff as Katie and Graeme both have lost a sibling and issues with her family keep her traveling since she doesn't feel like she has a home anymore.  Graeme is trying to preserve what's left of his after losing his sister and then his fiance left; he's trying to keep things stable for his nephew but is he holding on too tight?  I loved that we get the story told in first person from both their perspectives so we really know what they're thinking.  They both have a faith in God but you see it grow for both of them throughout the story.  There were also great secondary characters, such as Graeme's adorable nephew, his wonderfully wise mother and the quirky people that make up this beautiful community.  Special mention goes to the book club, a group of elderly women who were a hoot!  There were just so many wonderful aspects to this book!  It's a definite 5 star read for me and I highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.  I was not compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

No comments:

Post a Comment

BlogNation.com