Christmas on the remote Scottish island of Mure is bleak, stark - and incredibly beautiful.
It's a time for hunkering down, getting cosy in front of whisky barrel wood fires, and enjoying a dram with the people you love - unless, of course, you're accidentally pregnant to your ex-boss, and don't know how to tell him. In what should be the season of peace and goodwill on earth, will Joel think Flora is a bearer of glad tidings?
Meanwhile Saif, the doctor and refugee from war-torn Syria is trying to enjoy his first western Christmas with his sons - but without his missing wife. Can the little family possibly find comfort and joy?
Travel to the beautiful northern edge of the world and join the welcoming community of Mure for an unforgettable Christmas.
Review: This is the 4th book in a series set on Mure, an island situated far to the north of Scotland. I have read all the other books in the series and was really looking forward to getting into this one and reacquainting myself with the characters from the previous stories. I was certainly not disappointed; as soon as I started to read, I was transported once more to this lovely but desolate island and immersed in the lives of its inhabitants. Although part of a series, this book could be read as a standalone.
As with the other books in the series, the story centres mainly on Flora MacKenzie, who has returned to the island after a short spell working as a legal assistant in London. She has settled back into Island life, running a successful cafe/bakery as well as looking after her father and grown up brothers. However, she suddenly finds herself expecting a baby and not at all sure how the father, her ex-boss Joel, an American attorney, is going to react to the news. She is not the only person facing a dilemma in the run-up to Christmas. Saif, the island's doctor and Syrian refugee, is no longer sure that this is the best place to bring up his sons. American millionaire Colton, who has invested in the island and now lives there, is gravely ill and considering the future for his family. On top of everything else, a huge storm is brewing, adding to the overall drama as the story builds to a crescendo.
I found this a really compelling story. Once started, I just had to keep on reading right to the end. It is a tale that has every emotion condensed within its pages. There is drama, romance and heartbreak, and all so well written; I found myself in turn smiling and laughing and crying, as well as sitting on the edge of my seat. Jenny Colgan has completed this book with a few recipes for Scottish treats which Flora might be serving in her cafe. I really hope that this is not the end of the series about Mure; I would love to know how things pan out for some of my favourite characters.
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