It’s such a pleasure today to be joining the blog tour for the latest book from Lisa Hobman, Chasing a Highland Dream, and sharing my review. Published on 28th February by Boldwood Books, the second in her Highlands series, it’s now available for kindle (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback, and as an audiobook. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading copy (provided via netgalley).
I’ve become a real fan of Lisa’s writing – and her books just get better and better, with their vividly drawn Scottish settings, very real characters, and beautifully developed romance. We’ve been to Drumblair Castle in the Highlands before – in her last book, Coming Home to the Highlands, when Olivia returned from the world of fashion in New York to manage her legacy, and found a rather special romance along the way (you’ll find my full review here). There was so much I enjoyed about that book – yes, there was a touch of darkness, and a few issues that needed resolution, but overall it was a light and rather lovely read I’d very much recommend to others. And one of the real joys of that book was the friendships – and one of those friends was Bella, who I was delighted to see would be taking centre stage this time.
Let’s take a closer look…
Can you live your dreams and also find your destiny?
Since having to drop out of her design degree, Bella Douglas has been unlucky in just about everything life has thrown at her.
She’s lost more jobs than she cares to remember and to top it off she’s still single, despite her Granny Isla’s best attempts to set her up with every eligible bachelor in the Scottish Highlands.
Currently PA to her best friend, aka, Lady Olivia MacBain, at Drumblair Castle, Bella is yet to find a role that sets her soul on fire. But when disaster strikes for Olivia, Bella steps into the breach to rescue her best friend from a fate worse than a bad interior designer.
When Bella and her Granny find themselves homeless, they relocate to the castle where a handsome new neighbour brings mystery, intrigue and a spark of romance.
Is Bella finally on the track to find true happiness? Or do more catastrophes lie ahead? And does true love hide where you least expect it?
As the story opens, Bella shows a real error of judgement in trusting Olivia’s brother Kerr who she still rather carries a torch for – but, against all odds, she manages to save the day and make the castle’s first public event a success. But her own life is about to be turned upside down – after a bit of a disaster at the home she shares with Granny Isla, it’s Olivia’s turn to come to the rescue by offering them a temporary home in one of the apartments Bella’s recently used her design skills to help renovate.
Moving on from Kerr, her love life is rather a desert though – her gran’s pushing her towards a bearded policeman, the son of her closest friend, who enjoys birdwatching and seems distinctly boring, but she’s really not interested. And there’s a much more exciting prospect in the flat next-door – a gorgeous and famous author, who’s most definitely returning her interest. I’ll leave you to find out how that triangle works itself out, but suffice to say that neither man is quite what they appear to be – and Bella needs to make the right choices as she considers what the future may hold.
The characterisation in this book is really excellent – Bella, as she slowly blossoms, and her two romantic prospects, but the whole supporting cast too. There’s a really lovely friendship between Bella and Olivia, who has her own challenges and worries along the way – and Bella’s relationship with Granny Isla is a total joy throughout, with plenty of laughs from her many malapropisms and wicked sense of humour. There’s a real focus on kindness and forgiveness, and the whole book radiates warmth and feel good – but it’s certainly not without its moments of real drama and heightened emotions along the way.
If you read the first book in this series, you’ll be delighted to re-encounter familiar characters – I found it a particular treat, but there would be no issues if you read this one as a standalone – and, of course, Drumblair Castle and the Highlands are as beautifully drawn as ever with the author’s love for her setting shining through. And readers of some of the author’s other books will be as thrilled as I was by its perfect ending – but even if it’s your first, I guarantee it’ll leave you with a tear in your eye and a smile on your face. Read in one sitting, I thought it was a really lovely read – and one I’d very much recommend to others.
About the author
Lisa Hobman has written many brilliantly reviewed women’s fiction titles – the first of which was shortlisted by the RNA for their debut novel award. In 2012 Lisa relocated her family from Yorkshire to a village in Scotland and this beautiful backdrop now inspires her uplifting and romantic stories.
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